Siren's Call
by Foxblade13
Summary: So, what happens when a real half-siren joins the Straw Hat Pirate Crew? Life will never be the same again, especially for a certain green-haired swordsman!
1. Rescuing Magina

Magina stared in horror as the villagers stepped threateningly towards her.

"Burn the witch!" "Turn her out into the sea!"

"No, not the sea!" "She'll call her demon-monsters to save her!"

"Burn her!" "Burn her!"

"No! No! I'm not a witch! Please, stop!" Magina cried, tears streaming unchecked down her face.

She backed up until she was against her father's door. She was trapped! No one could save her now. With her father and his crew dead and no one else alive-she was the only one left for the villagers to blame.

The head fisherman, Caran-san, stepped through the throng of angry people.

"There is no way for us to tell if she is a witch," he said, turning to the crowd. There were grumbles of dissatisfaction. They wanted blood; her blood. Caran-san raised his hand for silence. Eventually they quieted down.

"However, as the possibility that she is a witch exists, we have to hear it from her own mouth. Take her prisoner!"

Magina's eyes grew round in fear. _No, no, no! Father!_ she thought to herself as they surrounded her. She desperately tried to fight back but numbers alone overwhelmed her. She was dragged through the city and thrown roughly into the village jail. She huddled in a corner, trying to warm the inner chill that made her shiver. A guard was sent to watch her. He smirked at her.

"Poor little Magina," he said, not sounding sympathetic at all.

"Have you ever seen a witch hunt, little Magina? Oh, you will enjoy it." And he laughed.

Magina sat there, controlling her fear, her rage and her helplessness. She couldn't let them break her. She clenched a hand. If only she had managed to escape before the villagers started searching for a scapegoat; she even had a secret cave in the tall cliff sides that practically surrounded her island. At least she wouldn't be sitting in a cell, waiting for her own execution. Around mid-day, the mayor of the village and two of his 'enforcers' came into the cell to see her. She eyed them warily. She never understood why Hasan needed enforcers in the first place. The island was peaceful and those enforcers only seemed to harass the other villagers.

"Now, Magina; if you would only confess that you brought the sea monster to destroy the ship, then it will go much easier on you," Hasan cajoled.

Magina heard the hidden malice in his cold voice. She closed her eyes tightly for a second before launching herself at the mayor. She managed to scratch his cheek. The scratches were deep and bled a great deal. The other two struck her viciously. She was beaten down and it was just as she was losing consciousness that she was dimly aware of someone stopping the torture.

They left her alone then. They didn't leave her food or water. Her stomach growled. She hadn't eaten since escaping her father's ship more than two weeks ago. Magina glanced cautiously upwards. There was no guard there. What luck! She tried to stand but for now, she was still too weak. So, she crawled out. By some miracle, she made it to her secret hiding place. She slept fitfully but no one would find her here.

. . .

Magina woke up slowly, every muscle and fiber of her being complained about the abuse. She heard the ocean breaking against the cliffs. It gave her a fleeting sense of tranquility. She could be safe there, at sea. Her sense of peace quickly fled as she heard the villagers yelling. They must be searching for her. Magina only waited until she heard a group of them pass by before leaving her secret place. She had to get to the sea.

She tested her strength. She was very weak. Lack of food took it's toll and the beating hadn't helped. But she felt that she could run, if only for a short while. However, her escape was only partially successful, for not long after she got up was she discovered. Angry shouts followed her as she raced to the ocean. Magina was nearly there when a spear hurtled toward her unprotected back. She turned at the sound. The spear only glanced off her side instead but it was deep. She fell, the strength leaving her with her blood.

The villagers came upon her and found her wound. The spear hit. They knew she was weak, the wound would finish her. Their revenge, they thought, was complete. They left her to die alone, friendless.

Magina only waited until they had gone before she started to crawl onwards. She would make it to the sea before she died; she had to make it to the sea. She was weakening quickly. It was mid-morning now. Where was the sea? She thought she was close...One hand clutched at something that wasn't rock. Barely conscious, Magina didn't care what it was; it was in her way. She reached up and grabbed something skinny, but she was beyond noticing by then. She collapsed; the lack of nourishment and the beating finally catching up with her.

"Must...get...to sea...must...sea..." she mumbled as blackness surrounded her vision and she was lost.

. . .

Zoro, Luffy and Sanji stepped off the Going Merry to see this new island. They didn't really need to stop here. They had enough supplies (that is, if Luffy didn't eat it all,) to last them to another island. Luffy stopped to take a look around, admiring the view. Suddenly, he yelled and tried to get away but he couldn't move except for stretching.

"Oi, Luffy. Why the noise?" Sanji asked.

"Th-there's a hand!" Luffy exclaimed, pointing at his leg. Both Zoro and Sanji looked at the bloody and dirty hand that was gripping Luffy's leg. Try as he might to shake it off, it refused to let go.

"Oi, let go! This is my leg! Hey! Hey!"

"Luffy, stop it. There's a person attached to that hand," Zoro said in exasperation.

Luffy stopped, his leg in midair and not long after they all heard the mumbling.

"Must...get...to sea...must...sea..." It faded abruptly, cut off.

Luffy gently detached the hand on his leg, found the arm and eventually found the rest of the body.

"Oi, Sanji, Zoro, look at this," Luffy said, playing with the lax arm.

Sanji came and turned the body over.

"It's a girl!" he stated in surprise.

"She's badly wounded," Zoro commented, touching the side wound. The girl cringed at the light touch but didn't move otherwise.

"She hasn't eaten for a long time either," Sanji said noticing the ribs sticking out from underneath the skin.

"Bring her on board," Luffy said while heading back to the Going Merry. Zoro and Sanji carried her onto the ship and put her on a bed. Despite himself, Zoro was curious as to how a girl got beaten up so badly. He settled himself down on the floor for a nap. It'd all be solved when she woke up.

_Foxblade13 here. Yes, the first chapter is ambiguous on purpose. I don't want to explain too much but this island was never really a part of the One Piece storyline. I needed a place where Magina could start from and that she could meet the crew which meant that I had to make it up. Disclaimer: I do not own any of the One Piece characters and I did not intend to write this for any reward other than the sheer joy of writing it. Read and Review if you wish too and I will reply (as long as I figure out how to.) This is my first time on a site like this so I'll be working out the kinks as I go, lol. I hope to have a chapter out every week. I might update more if I can get the chapters edited quickly. I hope you'll enjoy this and subsequent chapters to come! Thanks for reading! _


	2. Storm

_Hi folks. Just to make sure, I do not own One Piece, the Going Merry or anything else that belongs to the manga artist. It all belongs to Eiichiro Oda. The only characters I can really call mine are Magina and the extras (villagers, guards, etc.) Here is installment two and I hope you're enjoying it so far. And I don't really know if I should have rated this T but better to be safe than sorry. __J__ I shan't keep you from reading any longer. Enjoy!_

When Magina woke up, it was dark. Everything ached and her side burned. There was a slight creaking sound and an almost unnoticeable rocking. It took her a few minutes to realize where she must be. She was on a ship! Magina moved her hand to her forehead. She was burning. Gingerly, she tried sitting up. A loud groan echoed in the room, her groan. She collapsed back on the bed. Suddenly, light filled the room and a man with three katana* walked toward her. He was a dangerous looking man, fierce- intimidating.

"So, you're awake," he said, folding his arms across his chest.

Magina didn't say anything; she just stared at him. He looked back at her. She felt her cheeks getting red, or maybe they were red already; she couldn't tell but she refused to look away.

"Hey, Zoro! How is she?"

Distracted, they both turned to glance at the scrawny looking kid with a straw hat who just entered the room.

"She's awake. Nami should come and bind her wounds," the man named Zoro said, looking at Straw Hat.

Magina looked at her hands- they were lacerated badly and she could feel the bruises and scratches on her face. She must be in bad shape. If it hadn't been for these people...

"Excuse me, but who are you?" she asked before she felt her eyes starting to close. That was bad. She had to stay awake just a little longer. She had to tell them about something...What was it that she was trying to remember again?

"I'm Luffy. We're pirates!" Luffy grinned broadly underneath his straw hat.

Pirates! Magina knew that she should be afraid of pirates. She heard stories from the villagers when she was younger. Her island was so secluded that she hadn't even known that pirates existed. She wasn't really afraid of them, especially these pirates, but she wasn't sure she should trust them.

To her greatest surprise, Luffy bent closer to get a good look at her. She wanted to glance away. He had no sense of boundary. He had a nice smile but he was still a pirate. She had to keep telling herself that. No, she couldn't trust a pirate, even a pirate with such an honest face. She looked him in the eye as he got closer.

"Oi, Luffy. She needs Nami," Zoro said in an exasperated tone.

"Right," Luffy sprinted out the door and ran back with someone else.

"You take care of her, okay, Nami?" Luffy said still grinning.

Magina was starting to fall asleep, even in the face of pirates. They didn't know about what she had forgotten but as she drifted off; it became less and less important to remember. The last thing she heard was Nami giving orders.

. . .

Zoro watched impassively as Nami cleaned the girl up. She looked worried.

"She has a high temperature. Even with that wound she has on her side; she shouldn't have a fever," Nami said, her brow furrowed.

Suddenly, the girl shivered and started moaning again.

"Red salve...in village..." she opened her eyes; the fever made them glitter. "Red salve...treats poison..." she shuddered again and her eyes fluttered close.

Both Zoro and Luffy looked up.

"What?"

"Poison?" Luffy asked quietly. Both Nami and Zoro recognized that tone of voice.

"I've cleaned the wound but if there's poison then I don't know how much got in her bloodstream. She could die," Nami said, placing a wet cloth on the girl's forehead before pulling the cover up to the girl's chin. She looked at Luffy. He was the captain after all.

"Nami, turn the ship around. We're going back," Luffy said his voice dangerously quiet.

"Aye, Captain!" Nami leapt up to turn the ship around.

Zoro sat on the floor again, and leaned against a wall. Luffy stretched his arm, grabbed a chair and sat next to the bed. She rested quietly with only a few mumblings breaking the silence. Her fever didn't cool any. In fact, it kept climbing higher. It wasn't until around midnight that she became restless again. At the same time, a small storm blew up. It rocked the tiny vessel. Luffy was called to the top deck, leaving Zoro to watch the girl.

A particularly large wave crashed into the ship and made it tilt alarmingly. Zoro was thrown off balance for once and landed across the room. The girl sat straight up in the bed and gasped. She threw off the covers and raced up the stairs.

"Hey! Wait!" Zoro called and hurried behind her.

When he finally got up the stairs, he found her helping, tying down lines and taking care of the sails. The little ship was close to capsizing once but the girl pulled a couple of ropes taut and they settled back gently on the sea. She moved on the ship like she was born to it.

Once all the necessary work was finished, she walked slowly towards the edge of the boat. Lightning split the sky and Zoro thought he heard her scream. She was near the railing now, not paying attention to the crashing waves.

"PAPA!"

The wind carried her voice to him and ripped it away just as quickly. Zoro didn't even hesitate. He ran towards her at full speed. He just managed to get there in time to catch her before she fell overboard. She slumped in his arms, unconscious once again. She mumbled incoherently and every now and again, Zoro heard sobbing. He picked her up and walked to Luffy.

"Hey, Luffy! You need any more help?"

"Oi! What is she doing up here? Is she better?"

"Of course not, baka*. I'm taking her back down below."

"Oh, okay," Luffy replied, not caring in the least.

Zoro shook his head as he tramped down the stairs. He placed her on the bed and returned the wet cloth to her forehead. She was shivering now so he put the blanket back on her as well. She opened her eyes once but they were glazed and unseeing. She turned her gaze to him.

"Z-Zoro," she whispered through chattering teeth.

Her eyes closed again. She didn't say anything else the rest of the night. By morning, they were back at the island. Luffy and Sanji went to see about the salve. They didn't come back until mid-morning with a small pot. The girl was much worse by the time they returned. Her fever was still going up and the wound was raw and red. Nami quickly took the pot, stuck her hand into it and put a large amount of the salve on the wound. Soon, the deep etched lines of pain disappeared from the girl's face. The fever started to break around lunch time and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. By nightfall, her fever was almost gone completely.

. . .

It was dark once again when Magina woke up. Her hair felt damp and she was surprised to find that she couldn't move. She looked around the room slowly. There wasn't much to the room except for a man leaning against one of the walls. It took her a while for her to remember what his name was.

"Zoro?" Her voice was very hoarse. How had that happened? The pirate opened his eyes and looked at her. Magina was confused. What happened since she came on board? But Zoro nodded in her direction, indicating that she got his name right.

"What happened? Why can't I move?" she asked. Even her voice sounded strained!

"Baka! You can't expect to be able to move after fighting a storm with a poisoned wound," Zoro said contemptuously.

"Oh..." Magina trailed off. Well, that explained a lot of things.

"Zoro, don't yell at her. She helped save the ship," a girl with short red hair said as she walked in.

"She's still a baka..."Zoro muttered under his breath.

The girl walked over to Zoro and punched him in the head. Then she walked towards the bed and sat at the edge. She felt Magina's temperature and was satisfied with what she felt.

"Your fever's gone down. I'll send Sanji-kun in with some food," the girl smiled warmly as she left the room. The door opened soon afterward but it was only Luffy.

"Oh...Nakama*, you're awake!"

"N...akama?" she asked quietly. She never had nakama before. Was it really decided that quickly? Things like that took time, didn't they?

"Considering you saved this sorry little ship, he would be indebted to you. He is the captain," a voice said from the doorway.

Luffy laughed out loud; it was infectious. Magina had to hide her mouth behind her hand to contain her own grin.

"What's your name?" Luffy asked still smiling.

Thrown off by the direct question, she stuttered, "M-Magina."

"You'll be my nakama, Magina. I like you," he grinned.

"Stop scaring her, Luffy. She has to eat my soup," that voice from the doorway said.

"Ho, Sanji. You brought food?"

"It's for her, Baka. I could feel her hunger across the ship. Supper will be ready after I've served her," as the longest-legged man she had ever seen came into view.

He brought a small pot with a bowl and a spoon on a tray. He set it on the table and propped her up gently. After that was finished, he ladled her a bowl. She licked her lips hungrily. Nothing had ever smelled so delicious in her life.

Magina took the bowl that Sanji offered her and the spoon with shaky hands. As soon as she took her first bite, she felt much better. It was filling and the hot broth settled well in her empty stomach.

"This...is delicious!" Magina said between bites.

Both Sanji and Luffy smiled but she didn't see it. She was concentrating on finishing the bowl. It didn't take long. Luffy only waited until Sanji filled her bowl the second time before leaving quietly. She finished the second bowl almost as quickly as the first. When the small pot was empty, Sanji got up to leave.

"Wait! Thank you," Magina said shyly.

Sanji turned and smiled, "This cook feeds anyone hungry."

Magina gingerly lay back down. Her side still throbbed and she felt very weak. Just sitting up to eat for that short amount of time had wearied her. Magina closed her eyes and slowly fell asleep. Only rest would be able to heal her.

. . .

Zoro watched as she drifted off. He got up off the floor. He should eat while she was resting. Now that Luffy named her nakama; he had to wonder what she would do on the ship. There was no doubt she'd come along now. Her saving the ship from capsizing sealed her fate with theirs. Zoro shrugged it off. Maybe after supper he'd go back and watch her while she rested. Or maybe he'd just take a nap. He grinned. Yeah, that sounded good.

_Just in case you wanted to know the meaning for the Japanese words, you'll probably see them again throughout the story._

_Katana- a slightly curved blade and a very traditional Japanese weapon. I purposefully did NOT add an 's' onto the end since I haven't learned the noun endings for Japanese yet and I somehow thought that the 's' wouldn't be the noun ending anyway._

_Baka- fool/idiot_

_Nakama-no direct translation but something like a best friend/comrade/companion._

_Anyways, read and review if you wish. I'll comment back as soon as I'm able. And don't necessarily expect two chapters a week. I was already half done with editing this chapter when I put up the first. I'll update soon though. _


	3. Meeting the Crew

_Again, I do not own the places, characters or anything of One Piece. It all belongs to Eiichiro Oda except for Magina. This story is not intended for profit and I did not make any money writing this. That should take care of the legal stuff. Enjoy!_

When Magina woke up again; there was another tray of hot food next to her. She carefully sat up, surprised to find that she was feeling stronger already. She ate hungrily, not even detecting the presence beside her. It wasn't until she heard the gentle snoring in the background that she noticed that someone else was in the room.

Magina turned to look. It was Zoro. His snores grew louder and she nearly jumped. What was he doing here? She reached for the only precious possession that she managed to save. It was a locket that hung around her neck. She searched her pocket. She sighed in quiet relief. She brought out the tooth and examined it. It was a large tooth, larger than what any normal animal possessed. She held it in both hands for a moment before clutching it tightly. The locket was a gift from her mother-inside there was a picture of her parents. The tooth…it was the only thing she could salvage from the shipwreck. Magina finished the rest of her food slowly, lost in thought and still holding the tooth.

"Did you kill a monster for that tooth?" a deep voice asked.

Magina whipped her head around quickly. Zoro was awake and looking at her. She put her locket back where no one else could see it and stuffed the tooth back in her pocket.

"No," she answered in a dead pan voice. "I'm _going_ to kill this monster. Once I find it; it will die," she repeated again to hear herself say it.

No one was going to stop her. Not the villagers, not pirates, not the Marines, even death would find it difficult to stand in her way.

"You?" Zoro asked incredulously and then burst out laughing.

Magina glared at him. "Yes, me! I am not going to die until that serpent is rotting at the bottom of the ocean! And I will be the one who delivers the final blow. Even if it kills me, I don't care! Just as long as it dies by my hand."

She pounded her fist in her other hand. Magina knew she was ill-equipped to kill a sea monster, but she was determined to succeed anyway. She looked at him, daring him to laugh at her again. The smile was gone and he was serious again.

"You'll fit in well with this crew," Zoro just said as he fingered the hilt of the white katana*.

Magina was puzzled. What did he mean 'fit in'? She wasn't going with them. She needed to find that serpent and kill it. Her thoughts were interrupted by Zoro's stomach growling. Much to her greatest embarrassment, her stomach growled too. Zoro laughed.

"Time for food," he said, getting up.

"But…but I just ate! I can't be hungry already!" Magina protested in surprise, placing a hand on her complaining stomach.

"Eh, stop worrying," Zoro said, throwing her over his back like a sack of fish. She was so startled that she couldn't say anything until they were in the galley.

"That is…not a normal way to carry people," she gasped a little. Zoro didn't say anything but put her on a bed. Magina settled close to the headboard. It was much warmer here than the room she was in before.

"Oi, Sanji! Get us some food!" Zoro said closing the door before sitting down at the small table.

There was only one person she didn't recognize. It was a long-nosed guy with dark curly hair with a sling shot at his side. She vaguely recalled the red-haired girl coming in once or twice.

"More meat, Sanji! Meat! Meat!" Luffy cried out laughing.

"Eh, you'll eat us out of our supplies with your appetites," Sanji said sighing, and then grinning as he went to cook more food.

"Zoro? Who is that?" the red-haired girl asked, smiling her way.

"Ho-ho, that's right! Nami, Usopp, this is Magina. Magina- Nami and Usopp," Luffy said grinning around a meat bone.

"Luffy, did you take her off this island?" Nami asked suspiciously.

"Yep," Luffy replied, still grinning.

"Baka*!" Nami exclaimed, jumping up and punching him in the head. "You can't take people from their homes just because you like them! You have to ask them first!"

"I didn't take her, she came to us," Luffy said, unperturbed.

"I don't think that's exactly true," Magina protested.

"Is so, you grabbed onto my leg and said you needed to get to the sea. We were heading the same way so we took you with us," Luffy grinned.

"I remember running away from the villagers. I don't remember meeting you though," Magina frowned as she thought back.

"Why were you trying to run from the villagers?" Usopp asked out of curiosity.

"They were going to burn me at the stake," Magina said after a long moment's pause.

"Wow! Cool!" Luffy said sounding excited.

"But why?" Name asked, coming to sit next to her.

Magina wasn't ready to talk about what happened yet. It all occurred so fast. She still hadn't found the time to even mourn for her father. These pirates though were all looking at her expectantly. Since they did technically rescue her, she felt obligated to tell them. Magina took in a shuddering breath before starting her tale.

"My village is a fishing village. Everybody knows how to fish-even the children. Everyone also gets superstitious when there aren't any good catches or when a disaster strikes. My father took a fishing expedition out to sea. There was a school of large tuna that would feed the village for the rest of the year. It was supposed to be my final trip before officially becoming a fisherman. While we were out at sea, a storm suddenly came out of nowhere and blew us off course. We decided to head back when we couldn't find the school of tuna.

"On our way back, we were attacked. A humongous serpent came out of the sea and smashed our ship to smithereens. We tried to fight it off but it was no use. Spears just bounced off it's scales and we didn't have a net large enough to even slow it down. My father…was the only one brave enough to get close to the head. He managed to knock out a tooth before…before that monster ate him. I somehow escaped on a plank of wood. Everyone else drowned. I drifted back to the village. Once they heard my story, they turned on me. As the sole survivor, not only was I blamed for the loss of a fine fishing ship but also for all the men the village lost.

"They called me a sea witch and accused me of being able to control the denizens of the deep. They captured me and tried to beat a confession out of me. I escaped and ran to the sea. Now, I'm here," Magina said, finishing her tale.

"Your mother?" Nami asked.

"Is dead. She got sick one year when I was small and she didn't recover. Even if she was alive, she wouldn't have been able to help. She would die with me if she tried helping me."

"And the poison?" Luffy asked quietly, seriously. It was the most dangerous sound Magina ever remembered hearing.

"I-in order to protect the village, we-they fish for the poisonous varieties of fish once a year. This was a fresh batch so it was a little more potent than usual. Time makes the poison lose it's effectiveness. It's not really supposed to be fatal but I was weak from lack of food and the beatings. Every blade in the village is coated," Magina explained, stammering at first. She had a bad feeling about telling them, the tone of Luffy's voice scared her a little.

"I'm going to kick their ass!" Luffy said, sounding angry.

"What?"

"Damn straight," Zoro replied from the table.

"No!" Magina cried out loud. "Please, just leave them alone. Please. Please don't," she started to shake with the attempt to repress her emotions.

"They hurt one of my nakama*, I can never forgive them," Luffy said after looking at her steadily.

"But…but they hurt me before you said I was your nakama," she retorted back.

"It's no use arguing. Once Luffy makes up his mind; nothing can change it. And where he goes, we all go. He's the captain," Zoro said with his eyes closed.

Magina tried to stem the flood of worries that wanted to overwhelm her. But try as she might, all she could see was the villagers bleeding, broken or even worse, dead. And the crew…Luffy's crew; poisoned, dying. Even if she hadn't known them very long; she couldn't help but care what happened to them. She didn't want anyone dying because of her. There was only one choice then. She shakily stood up.

"Then, I guess I have to stop you. I can't allow you to attack this village," she said clenching her fists at her side.

"Baka. You couldn't stop us." Magina thought that Usopp was the one who spoke.

"So?" she asked angrily. "I have to win. I can't lose."

_For everybody's sake_, she thought to herself as she leapt forward and hit Luffy in the face. It lacked force and finesse but it connected solidly enough.

"Hee hee," Luffy giggled and then he attacked.

Magina saw one arm stretch after her. She barely dodged it in time. She looked back at the outstretched arm. Her first mistake. Luffy's other hand grabbed the collar of her shirt and threw her against the far wall. She cried out in pain as her wound reopened. Every muscle complained as she slowly stood up.

"Luffy, leave this to me," she heard Zoro say.

As he approached her, he took out one katana. Magina knew she was in no condition to fight but to protect everyone; she would fight to the death. She balled up a fist and punched Zoro right under the chin. He didn't move a muscle and neither did she. All of a sudden, there was a hand at her throat and she was up against the wall again. She tried to pry the hand off but she didn't have the strength.

"You're weak," Zoro said.

"I know that," Magina replied, gritting her teeth from the renewed pain.

"Then why are you fighting?" Usopp asked.

"I don't…I don't want anyone else dying because of me! The villagers are still my family. And now that I've met you, how can I allow you to go into a fight that most probably will lead to your deaths? My parents, those fisherman, the villagers, you guys….how many more have to die?" She didn't even try to stop her tears from running down her cheeks. There was silence for a moment as everyone absorbed her impassioned response.

"Tch," Zoro clicked his tongue and gave her a crazy smile.

Magina never saw anything so insane in her life. Her eyes widened slightly as he brought his white katana close to her head. He lifted his arm and struck. The dull _Thwok!_ echoed in the room as the point quivered right next to her cheek.

"Who said anything about dying?" Zoro said taking his hand away from her neck. She slumped to the floor.

"You shouldn't get so worked up about it. Nothing can kill these guys," Nami said grinning.

"It'll just teach them the lesson that they shouldn't attack a lady," Sanji said helping her back up and leading her toward the bed. He strolled over in between Zoro and Luffy and kicked them each once on the head. "I do have to teach that lesson myself once in a while," Sanji continued, glaring at Luffy and Zoro.

"She started it!" Luffy and Zoro shouted at Sanji together.

"Bakas! You think I care about that! Magina-san is still a lady! Don't attack ladies!" and Sanji kicked them again.

Usopp and Nami were laughing at the three. It was really tempting to join in but some worry just wasn't letting her relax. Nami noticed her sober expression.

"Don't worry about them. They may act like bakaru* but they're really strong. Nobody is going to die, least of all this bunch," Nami said, pointing a thumb at the still arguing guys.

Magina tried to smile bravely, "Maybe you're right, Nami. Thank you."

"Oh, Sanji-kun," Nami called over the fighting.

"Yes, Nami-swan?" Sanji called back, holding off Zoro and Luffy.

"Is the food done yet, Sanji-kun?" Nami smiled at him.

"Aye, Nami-swan!"

"Ho-ho! That's right, food! Meat, Sanji, more meat!" Luffy said laughing as he sat back at the table.

Zoro also sat back at the table as if nothing had happened.

"Do they always fight like that?" Magina asked Nami quietly.

"Mmhmm. It's surprising we get anything done around here. Thank you, Sanji-kun," and Nami grinned at Sanji as he brought them both a platter.

"Oh, smells good!" Luffy said, rocking his chair back and forth, waiting impatiently.

Sanji served the rest of them and everyone started eating. Soon, the galley was filled with laughter, words of appreciation and the occasional argument. Magina ate like the rest of them but she just couldn't join in the merriment. Eventually, the meal finished; the crew cleaned the dishes and sat back to enjoy the rest of the evening. Magina fell asleep while everyone chatted. Somehow, she felt safe with them and she slept soundly.

_More Japanese words…_

_Katana-traditional Japanese sword_

_Baka-idiot/stupid_

_Nakama-best friend, companion, comrade_

_Bakaru-something like idiot or stupid but with more of an 'asshole' connotation_

_Just a little note about this chapter. I understand that Sanji probably would not have sat back and watched Luffy or Zoro fight with Magina. I only kept it because I loved the idea of Sanji pretending to be calm, blow up at both of them and not caring when they blamed Magina for starting the fight lol. And there used to be little hearts surrounded 'Nami-swan's' name but I wasn't positive that they would still be hearts if I updated it as is so I took them out. _

_As always, read, review, whatever you like and I hope you will keep enjoying this story. Thanks again! See you at the next update!_


	4. Of Snakes and Men

_Here's the legal stuff right away: I am not the owner of One Piece, characters or settings. It all belongs to Eiichiro Oda. I also did not get any revenue from writing this story. Enjoy chapter 4 and thanks for reading!_

During the dead of night, Luffy attempted to raid the refrigerator. Sanji caught him and the ensuing fight was loud enough to involve the entire ship except for Magina. When the crew mates finally stopped brawling, they all glanced at the galley bed where she was sleeping deeply.

"Wow, she must be tired. I don't think she moved at all," Usopp said.

"Yeah," Nami worried as she moved to check Magina's temperature.

Her forehead was a little too warm but Nami wouldn't call it a fever. Blood stained the bandages so Nami changed the padding after putting the last of the salve on Magina's wound.

"We're attacking them tomorrow, Luffy?" Sanji asked.

"Yep," Luffy replied, gnawing on a bone that he managed to sneak out before his cook caught him red-handed.

"B-but wh-what about the p-p-poison?" Usopp asked, his knees shaking.

"We'll just need to 'borrow' some salve tomorrow since we're out," Nami said, her eyes sparkling at the thought of robbing someone.

"We should sleep. Here, Nami-swan, let me escort you to your room," Sanji said, holding the galley door open for her.

Usopp started complaining that he was infected with 'I-can't-get-on-this-island' disease and that maybe he should just guard the ship. Nami shook her head and left the galley after him. Sanji glared at Luffy briefly, sternly reprimanding him once more before following the others. Eventually only Zoro and Luffy waited silently in the room; each keeping their own quiet vigil of the girl on the bed.

. . .

Magina only waited until they were both snoring before sneaking out. There was something about Hasan that she didn't like. It wasn't as if he was entirely responsible for inciting the villagers against her or ordering her execution. The man made her skin crawl. No matter what the weather was; Hasan always wore thick sweaters and gloves. He never seemed able to get warm. It was strange and she never figured out why the whole village loved him. Her father was the only other person who couldn't stand Hasan.

"He's a snake of a human being," he would always say angrily.

Magina crept out of the ship. She had to get to her house before anyone, pirate or villager, saw her. She managed to limp her way to her house quietly enough not to disturb the guards. Not that it'd matter much longer; dawn would come soon enough. She searched for the dark cloak that her mother used to wear. Next, she took out the tight single braid that hung down her back and let the wavy mass cascade to her thighs. Magina brushed it a couple of times before pulling the cloak down over her eyes and tying it tight.

Sunrise was very near now. She'd have to leave the house quickly and start traveling down the east road. She wanted it to look like she had come from the ocean. She hurried as rapidly as she could. She only hoped that Luffy and the others would wait until after breakfast before coming. Magina made it to the first of the border guards just as the sun started to rise above the horizon. It blinded them as they looked at her.

"Who are you? What's your business with this village?" one of the guards asked suspiciously.

"Please, sir, I'm just a traveler," Magina said in a low voice. "I heard that this was a fishing town. I came across a large school of fish that I thought might catch your interest."

As long as she kept her voice subdued and soft; they didn't seem to recognize her.

"What luck! The village needs something to cheer it up," the other guard commented with a grin.

"What kind of school, girl?" the skeptical guard asked.

She shrugged. "Who knows? They were red and looked slippery. I bet you can see them from here. See, look!"

Magina pointed east. Right on cue, the spot where she pointed to on the sea splashed as if something was breaking the surface.

The soldiers saluted and ran to tell the fishermen to get ready to set sail. The large red marlin was a favorite of the villagers. Soon, all of the houses were empty. Not many businesses were open. A few of the women and all of the children were left behind. The women and children hurried to the beach; making fires, whetting their gutting knives and repairing nets. That left only the enforcers and the mayor himself. Hasan never left the village much.

"You're a smart one, little Magina," a cruel voice murmured in her ear. A hand grabbed at the cloak and forced her to turn around. It was Hasan.

"Why make the villagers leave, little Magina?" he hissed.

Magina bit her lower lip and said nothing. Hasan rolled up one of her sleeves. She watched as he slowly removed one of his gloves. His long fingernails seemed to gleam in the morning sun. Hasan smiled evilly as he gripped her arm tightly and used his fingernails to pierce her.

Immediately she felt the strength draining out of her. Everything turned blurry and she slowly sank down to her knees. Magina groaned as new waves of pain started to make her feel sick. What was wrong with her? It felt like poison but it wasn't the poison that the villagers used. She struggled uselessly against Hasan's firm grip. Magina was very dimly aware of malicious laughter.

"Do you understand the trouble you're in, little Magina?" the voice hissed.

Magina shivered, chilled to the bone. Was it unconsciousness or death's black oblivion that waited to claim her as the darkness swirled? She began to gasp, the effort to breathe momentous. _No!_ she screamed in her head even as her eyes started to close. The pain increased the more she struggled to stay awake. From somewhere deep inside, she drew on a desperate strength she didn't even knew she had. She screamed her defiance in Hasan's face and wrenched free from his grasp. The effort sent her sprawling. Though she felt too weak to move, she stretched as far as she could back to Luffy's ship; she had to warn them. Granted, Luffy, Zoro and Sanji were not as weak as she was but even they would have troubles taking on Hasan, wouldn't they?

"It's hopeless, Magina, to struggle against the inevitable. You are just as stubborn as your parents and just as useless, just as weak."

Hasan grabbed the collar of her shirt and forced her up to his face. Magina forced herself to look him straight in the eye. Her anger burned and her eyes glittered. He grinned when he saw her expression.

"That's right. You never knew the real reason why your parents are dead. Did you know, little Magina, that I used to be in love with your mother? She was absolutely beautiful, undeniably breathtaking. I did my best to court her but your father stole her away before I had a proper chance. I even approached your mother one evening and tried to reason with her. Your mother, your beautiful, sweet mother refused me flat out. In the end, I poisoned her. I still remember the screams," Hasan chuckled briefly as Magina clenched her fists weakly.

"Apparently, so do you. Don't worry, little Magina; soon it will all be over. Of course, you would probably want to hear about your father's untimely demise as well. You are so much alike after all. You know the currents, the schools of fish like the back of your hand. Your father had that same ability but I was one step ahead of him. You see, I have a gift that's greater than yours could ever be. I ate the Hibi-Hibi Fruit (snake). My poison is fairly limited but since I can also transform," Hasan trailed off as his face started changing.

"You truly are a snake…just like my father…said," Magina whispered, gasping with every word.

"Of course, I wasn't able to have a direct hand in your father's death but because I can communicate with animals; I was able to call that great mother of a serpent to capsize and slaughter his ship. Your father was the only one who I requested the head for. It makes such a lovely trophy," the mayor continued as if he hadn't heard her.

"You…you monster! I lost everything because of you!"

"No, not everything," a new voice rang out.

"Eh?" Hasan asked confused.

A fist punched him in the face and grabbed her away from his clutches simultaneously. She sailed back in the air, somebody catching her.

"Luffy?" she whispered in a wondering tone.

"I said we're nakama. You still have us to help you," Luffy said, looking mad.

Magina couldn't tell if he was mad at her or at Hasan. Luffy set her down on the ground and placed his straw hat on her stomach.

"Don't lose that," he said, cracking his knuckles and stretching.

"Nakama?" Hasan asked out loud and then burst out laughing.

Sanji lit a cigarette and Zoro unsheathed his katana. The mayor stood up and wiped the blood that dribbled down his chin.

"Well then, little Magina, you still have a lot to lose. The poison will kill you too quickly at this rate and I want you to watch them die," Hasan said, carefully peeling off a scale and then tossing it at her.

She winced slightly when the tough scale scratched her face. Immediately, her gasping and panting for oxygen eased. The poison was neutralized but she couldn't move; the poison had taken whatever strength she had left.

"You piece of shit! We're your opponents, not Magina-san," Sanji said, stepping forward.

"I'm going to kick your ass!" Luffy yelled, also walking towards Hasan.

"Damn straight," Zoro growled around a katana in his mouth.

Usopp and Nami came to sat near Magina. They looked angry also but thankfully not at her.

"Luffy can't stand to see one of his nakama suffering. Why didn't you wait for us?" Nami asked helping her lean against a wall.

"It's not the villagers fault that Hasan is an evil man. I sent them fishing," she said quietly, hugging the straw hat to her chest.

"Watch out for that hat. It's Luffy's treasure," Usopp said, leaning against the wall beside her.

"Why did you all come?" Magina asked, astonished.

"Haven't you ever had a nakama before?" Usopp asked, giving her a look.

Magina shook her head. Nami gripped her hand for a second before grinning. Usopp grinned too.

"You do now!" they chorused.

"MAGINA!" Luffy shouted.

She looked up in surprise.

"After I kick this guy's ass, you're coming with us! You're our nakama!" he yelled vehemently.

"L-Luffy," she whispered quietly.

"My dear, disillusioned boys. You can't beat me," Hasan said grinning.

"SHUT UP, SNAKE," Luffy bellowed. "GOMU GOMU PIS…tol?"

Hasan smiled smugly as he shrank to the size of a small garden snake.

"Oi! Luffy! I'll step on him!" Sanji said, leaping forward.

He lifted one of his legs up to squash the miniature snake but the snake reacted first. It became a little longer and wrapped itself around Sanji's leg.

"Shitty snake," Sanji mumbled, trying to shake the snake off.

Luffy managed to pull the snake off Sanji's leg and flung it away. The mayor transformed again and somersaulted; landing agilely on his feet. Zoro took that time to charge Hasan but as he tried to cut the man's head off; he transformed once again and Zoro missed completely.

. . .

"Can you defeat an enemy that you can't even touch?" Hasan asked, silent laughter ringing in his tone.

He was having fun toying with them. Hasan learnt many of his devil's fruit secrets over the years. Even if it was three against one; he still had the advantage. As long as they were the ones attacking, he could dodge them forever. It was not that difficult to switch between forms and they hadn't seen his final form yet. He chuckled nastily. By then, it would be too late. These travelers, whoever they were, would perish and then little Magina would die.

_I'm going to apologize for not having the whole fight scene in chapter 4 and ending at such a horrible spot. I suppose I could have made it a little longer than normal but I wanted to get an update in before I get super busy. This week will be tight but I'm going to update tomorrow or Tuesday. Beyond that, don't expect another chapter until the weekend. Oh and hibi should mean snake. As far as I know, there was nobody on the One Piece character roster who had a Snake Devil's Fruit._

_Review if you are so inclined to do so and I will respond. Thanks again for reading!_


	5. Dealing with Hasan

_Legal stuff, I don't own any of the characters or settings. It belongs to Eiichiro Oda. I'm sorry I left the last chapter hanging in a bad spot. To make up for it, I made this chapter longer than I really wanted to, lol. Thank you everyone and please enjoy chapter 5!_

Sanji led the first wave of attack but it was no use. No matter where his kick landed, it didn't connect. Multiple indentations appeared in the ground as Sanji continued his assault but Hasan managed to dodge each strike Sanji placed.

A hissing, slithering laugh at his leg made him look down. The garden proportioned viper grew in size as it twined painfully around Sanji's leg. Crushing pressure made him wince in pain. At this rate, his leg would be useless! Sanji tried to kick his own leg but there wasn't enough force to inflict any damage to the snake.

Hasan laughed again. He let himself unwind just enough to begin growing legs. Before he changed completely, he flicked Sanji away like he was nothing but air. He landed roughly, skidding into a house.

"Sanji!" Luffy yelled.

Sanji struggled up, clutching his leg. A strange, wide-eyed look crossed his face briefly before he fell over again and lay still.

"Shit," Magina, Usopp and Nami heard him say.

Luffy looked angrily around for Hasan.

"Snake-man!" he shouted, the fury on his face terrifying.

Hasan chuckled. "I wouldn't worry about him. I didn't kill him…yet. I just paralyzed him. I have something special planned for the two of you."

Zoro and Luffy attacked at the same time. They still didn't hit anything. Luffy was closer to the mayor turned snake. He grabbed Hasan by the tip of his tail. Luffy wound back to throw him towards the sea. Before Luffy could complete the throw; the mayor coiled himself around Luffy's arm and bit him on the hand. Luffy flung the snake away.

"Luffy!" Magina screamed as he toppled over.

Hasan transformed back into his human form before walking over to Luffy. Luffy began forcing himself up. The mayor kicked one twitching hand.

"The poison that has entered your bloodstream is the most lethal one I have. There is no cure for it, except for me and I'm not planning on letting any of you live. I suggest you stop struggling. It's going to be painful enough for you without adding further to it."

"I'm not going to die. I'm going to become the Pirate King," Luffy said, grinning.

"That doesn't change anything. You're still going to die," Hasan replied.

_Shink!_ The sound of metal rang throughout the village. One of Zoro's katana* rested against Hasan's throat.

"Hmm," Zoro smirked slightly. "Not if I kill you first."

Hasan roared in laughter.

"Then kill me Master Swordsman; kill me if you can," he said, transforming into his final form.

"Do you think your puny swords can hurt me now? My scales are harder than steel and just as deadly," Hasan hissed, using his tail to try to sweep Zoro's feet out from underneath him.

Zoro jumped out of the way easily enough. Magina watched in horror. Zoro and Luffy could be crushed! Hasan was almost as big as the sea monster that attacked her father's ship. She glanced at Sanji. He didn't look like he was doing well.

"Usopp, Nami; you guys grab Sanji and get him out of the way of that snake. I'll get Luffy," she said, standing up shakily.

"Oi! You can barely stand!" Nami said, reaching to pull her back down.

Magina grinned.

"I'm a lot stronger than I look. Besides, this isn't the first time I've been poisoned. I'll be fine, make sure Sanji is," she said, dodging Nami's hand and running towards Luffy.

Zoro, in between jumping and avoiding the large snake, tried to find the weakness with his katana, but it was no use. They just bounced off the scales' steel-like surface. Magina was almost to Luffy when Hasan spotted her.

"Where do you think you're going, little Magina?" he hissed furiously, trying to smash her into the ground.

She made it to Luffy and covered his body with as much of hers as possible. A great shadow fell across the ground. Magina closed her eyes, waiting for the crushing weight. It never came. She fearfully looked up and saw Zoro blocking the snake's fall with his katana. She gaped for a few seconds before dragging Luffy far enough away that it wouldn't matter if the snake fell or not. Magina quickly checked to see if Luffy was still breathing. She sighed in relief when she saw that he was, but to her dismay; it sounded like he was choking on every breath of air. She looked back at Zoro and Hasan. The snake's snout was trying to push Zoro over while Zoro valiantly refused to be toppled. There had to be a way to defeat him. If his scales were too thick to penetrate then they had to hit Hasan somewhere where he was vulnerable. She saw Hasan's eyes fiercely gazing at her in undeniable loathing. Her father tried something similar only he couldn't get close enough. Magina ran toward Zoro, there would only be one chance.

. . .

"Zoro, drop the white katana!" he heard her yell as she came running up behind him.

Zoro turned his head to see her outstretched hand. She was going to grab it out of his mouth if he didn't drop it! What was that baka* girl thinking of? Hasan tried to attack her with his tail but Luffy appeared out of nowhere; grabbing it before it could touch Magina. Zoro sighed and dropped his precious katana just as she passed by. She gracefully caught it and ran up the snake's nose. What…was she doing? Zoro gripped his remaining katana tighter. Whatever she was doing would need his backup. He saw her pull the katana back and drive it straight through the monster's eye. The mayor howled and hissed as he tried to dislodge the katana. His neck stretched to it's full height and Zoro lost track of Magina. If she lost his katana…he growled in frustration. What had possessed him to give it up in the first place?

. . .

Magina held onto the katana's hilt tightly as the snake waved it's head back and forth in agony. Hasan stopped eventually and looked at her with his one good eye.

"Insolent wench! What did you hope to accomplish with that petty little prank?"

"Neutralize the poison, or I'll keep piercing your eye until I reach your brain," Magina barked, clenching her teeth in suppressed anger.

"You'd have to know where my brain is in order to reach it. Not that it matters, you won't be there long," Hasan said, eyeing some of the larger rock formations that surrounded the village.

He put his head down, bashing it against the rocks. Magina desperately held on to the katana as the rocks came closer. Her hands slipped a little and she frantically grabbed at the katana. She couldn't fall off! As stuck as it was, when she grabbed hold of it again; the katana tilted in Hasan's eye. The mayor howled in pain, slamming into the rocks. Magina was crushed in between the rocks and the snake. The hilt of Zoro's katana dug painfully into her injured side. She clung, even as she felt the blackness approaching. Magina was in big trouble. What would happen now? Hasan unburied his head from the rubble and panted, hissing with each breath.

"You, maggot! You…you actually hurt me! I'll make sure you die as slow of a death as your mother!"

. . .

Zoro waited. Luffy was able to keep the tail from whipping Magina off the head but she needed help and fast. Luffy let go when the mayor smashed his head against some rocks in an attempt to dislodge her.

"Oi, Luffy! Throw me up there!" Zoro called out.

"Right," Luffy panted heavily.

He stretched his arm out. It wrapped around Zoro's waist and he was suddenly lifted into the air. Luffy's arm let go of him when he was about three quarters of the way there. He landed just as he heard Magina say in a trembling voice, "Neutralize the poison, now!"

"Do as she says," Zoro said, sticking his katana in the other eye.

The snake gave a long howl and fell to the ground. It didn't look like Magina could take anymore. Her grip on the white katana slipped for good and she dropped to the ground, unable to move. Zoro gripped both of his swords tighter. Maybe Hasan wouldn't be able to move while the katana were blinding him. Zoro heard a slight hissing sound. He turned his head back to see a long tongue flicking out. Hasan chuckled weakly as he discovered Magina's lax body.

. . .

"Poor little Magina. However did you survive that shipwreck? Even your father was stronger than this," Hasan remarked, still laughing.

Magina scratched the sand beneath her and painfully struggled up.

"I'm not your poor little anything," she said through clenched teeth.

Magina took a weary step forward. Zoro needed backup. He only had two hands after all.

"Your strength is gone, little Magina," hissed the snake.

"Stop calling me that!" Magina dragged herself toward the snout.

"A tiny brush of my tongue would be enough to send you sprawling," Hasan sneered, letting his tongue flicker in her direction.

It came too fast for her to dodge it and she waited to feel the impact. Before the tongue could touch her; Sanji's foot intercepted it. Sanji grinned a little at her astonished look. The snake's forked tongue slithered back in it's mouth. Her knees collapsed from underneath her but Sanji once again came to her rescue by catching her before she fell.

"Sanji? But how…? I thought…You were paralyzed!"

"Impressive. I must say that your companions are stronger than I imagined. No matter, you will all still die," the mayor said.

Sanji smirked. "Heh, not today."

"Zoro! Grab your swords!" Luffy shouted, running towards the snake. "Gomu Gomu no…!"

"Shit!" Zoro said, ripping his katana from Hasan's eyes and jumping off the snout.

"Ahh!" the snake cried out in pain.

"BAZOOKA!"

Magina watched in amazement as Hasan went flying towards the sea. Luffy's arms stretched back to normal. Wait, how did he do that?

"Why do your arms stretch?" Magina asked, her mouth hanging open.

"I ate the Gomu Gomu fruit. I'm a Rubber man," Luffy said giggling slightly as he stretched out one of his cheeks.

"But, what about the poison? You two shouldn't even be standing," she asked, worried and dismayed.

Luffy scratched his head. "I don't know. Something landed on my face. I thought it was food so I ate it. I felt better afterwards," and he shrugged.

Zoro, Sanji, Nami and Usopp all shook their hands and muttered "Baka," to themselves.

Magina looked at the ground and saw gobs of clear goo. "Was it anything like that, Luffy?" she asked weakly, pointing at the goop.

"Yeah, that's it," Luffy grinned.

"Let me see it," she said, already suspicious of the true nature of the translucent mess.

Luffy picked it up some of the goo. Magina wiped up some of it onto her finger and sniffed it. There was no doubt about what it was or where it had come from.

"What is it?" Usopp asked, peering at it through his goggles.

"This is from Hasan's eyes. It must have neutralized the poison. It's really effective. I hope that the villagers…"

"Oi! Magina! What are you doing here? You should be dead!" Caran, the head fisherman, exclaimed angrily.

"C-Caran-san!" she stuttered.

What time was it? She glanced at the sun's position. It was almost evening already! Luffy and Zoro stepped protectively in front of her and Sanji picked her up carefully.

"Where's the mayor?" he demanded. "And who are these people?"

"Oi," Usopp said under his breath. "They look really angry."

"Caran-san! Hasan has finally revealed himself!" one of the guards came running up to him.

"Our mayor?" a skeptical villager asked.

"I heard the whole thing. Hasan had the power of the Hibi-Hibi Fruit. Not only was he the one who made the sea serpent attack our fishing ship but he also poisoned her mother. These people helped her defeat him and they threw him into the sea!" the guard said to the people around him.

"Is this true, Magina?" Caran asked quietly.

"Yes," she replied softly.

She looked straight into his eyes. She waited only until he could read the truth in them before looking wearily down to the ground. She was bone tired. Her eyes closed involuntarily as her head lolled back on Sanji's shoulder. Caran's face softened as he saw her finally give in to her exhaustion.

"We always knew that Hasan was a strange one. We've been trying to bait him into revealing his true nature for years. It's too bad that his downfall had to come at such a price. I insist that you dine with us tonight. Our haul was a good one. Red marlin is a favorite of this village. We always feast when we bring in a haul. We'll patch Magina up as you dine and tomorrow morning all of you can be on your way."

He turned to the other villagers and started giving them orders. Two older women came to carry Magina away. Sanji reluctantly relinquished his hold while the rest of the village was bustling with preparations.

"Oi, Fish-Ossan," Luffy said, "we're taking Magina with us. She's nakama."

"Eh? You will? Good. Yes. very good. I'm glad to hear that," Caran said, laughing in relief.

"She risked her life for this village and you're glad that she's going?" Nami asked incredulously.

"Oi, don't get me wrong," Caran said waving his hands in the air as if to defend himself.

"We're indebted to her for saving this village, but it would be a crime for her to stay here. She has her parents' gifts and they shouldn't be wasted on this little backwards place. She was meant for much greater things. And it's good that she's found nakama. She's been alone too long," Caran said softly.

"Her parents' gifts?" Usopp prompted.

"Aye. You see, her father's family have been fishers before this island was inhabited. Every descendant had an innate wisdom of the sea: where the currents are, where and what fish are swimming, and a keen weather awareness. Most sailors can acquire these things after they've sailed an ocean for years. Magina and her father could sense these things after they've sailed an ocean only a few times."

"That's…that's amazing!" Usopp exclaimed, his mouth hanging open.

"Yes, any boat with her on it would never go hungry. Then, her mother," Caran sighed. "Yes, she inherited that gift as well. She has the siren's voice."

"The siren's voice?" Sanji asked obviously wanting to hear more.

"Her mother came to this village years ago from an island of musicians. She had a voice like an angel. The siren's voice can ensnare a man, no matter how strong of character. Magina's mother trained her before dying, but Magina hasn't sung since then. I think it was just too painful for her. Maybe now she can find something to sing for," Caran finished explaining, taking stock at how the feast was coming along.

"A siren? Wow! Awesome!" Luffy said, his eyes glittering with excitement.

"My name is Caran. Who are you?" Caran politely asked, as if just realizing that they hadn't been introduced.

"I'm Luffy. This is Zoro, Sanji, Usopp and Nami. We're pirates!" Luffy finished with a grin.

"Pirates? We haven't had pirates in these parts for almost twenty years now. The denizens scare away most of them and kill those foolhardy enough to sail these waters. In fact, the last time pirates were here…" Caran continued, talking to his amused audience.

_There you go, the bad guy is defeated. I'll try to split up the chapters up better in the future so they won't stop in the middle of a battle again. I can't make any promises though. Thanks again for reading and I hope to update during the weekend. Just in case any of you were wondering about the Japanese words/terms; there will be a list just underneath my little blip. Review, comment…whatever you're inclined to do. I will respond. Thanks!_

_Katana-traditional Japanese sword, singular and plural _

_Baka-idiot/stupid_

_Gomu Gomu no Bazooka-one of Luffy's signature moves 'Rubber Bazooka'_

_Gomu-Rubber_

_San-a way to show respect in Japanese. It's a lot more complicated than that but that's the basic meaning._

_Hibi-snake_

_Ossan-old man or something very close to that_

_Nakama-comrade, companion, best friend…kind of a mixture of all three_


	6. Magina joins the Straw Hats

_Important legal things: One Piece characters, settings and original plot all belongs to Eiichiro Oda. I only own Magina. I hope you will all enjoy chapter 6!_

. . .

"These bakas keep getting younger." One of the two grannies in charge of bandaging Magina's wounds commented, starting to cleanse the small scrapes on Magina's face.

"You're just getting older," the other cackled as she bound one of Magina's wrists.

"You're a fine one to talk," the old hag retorted back.

By the time they patched Magina up, her left wrist and right ankle were bound tight, the wound on her side was bandaged again and her scratches were attended to.

"Come, you sack of bleached bones; let's feast," one of the grannies said.

"Let's see you move quickly enough to get there," the other giggled as they both shuffled off.

Magina awoke to the odd sound of silence and the tantalizing aroma of cooked red marlin. Her mouth watered. She hadn't eaten anything all day and the fight had only increased her appetite. Magina propped herself up on one elbow. She almost groaned. Everything complained- her arms and legs ached, her muscles were on fire. There was a quiet knock on the hut door.

"Come in," she called, carefully sitting up.

"Magina, you're awake already?" Caran asked, peeking a head in before opening the door the rest of the way.

"Yes, who can sleep when there's a delicious smelling feast nearby?" she smiled at him.

"Magina, I'm sorry that we attacked you. The villagers…"

"Caran-san, please. You don't have to apologize. I'm not angry. Besides, if I wasn't forced out," and she smiled again, "I would never have met Luffy and the others. They called me nakama."

"You will go with them and follow your dream?" Caran asked.

Magina nodded, serious again, "And to exact my revenge. Even if Hasan was the one who called that snake to attack my father's ship, it cannot be allowed to live so that it can prey on other fishers."

"Magina, train to defeat that monster but spend some time following your dream too. There is more to life than revenge," he said, putting a hand on one of her shoulders.

She nodded slowly, biting her lower lip as she thought about his advice. Caran smiled and turned around, gesturing for her to climb up on his back.

"You shouldn't miss the feast that you helped provide, Fisherman Magina," he said as he turned his head to grin at her.

A grin broke out on Magina's face. A Fisherman! Her grin faded as she thought about what that really meant.

"But, Caran-san, you'll need every Fisherman in the village, especially now that Papa…and all those men…"

"Don't worry about us. We will survive. Besides, you're not a real Fisherman yet. You cannot come back to this village until you have completed your Fishing trials. Until that snake is dead, you haven't proven your skills to us."

He winked at her. Tears filled Magina's eyes. He was giving her permission to leave!

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Let's feast, the pirates are waiting," Caran said picking her up and carrying her out of the hut.

There was a huge bonfire in the middle of the square, littler fires circling around it. These fires were either grilling the red marlin or had stews bubbling in individual pots.

"Oi! Magina! We're having a party!" Luffy yelled once he saw her, his wide grin already infecting the nearby villagers.

Magina laughed. Some of the other villagers looked up in surprise. They hadn't remembered her laughing since her mother died and that was many years ago. Luffy laughed too and then set out to entertain Magina and some of the villagers. Almost everyone stopped at some point just to look and listen. Caran went to sit by the other pirates. Luffy would look after Magina and he enjoyed hearing her laughter just as much as the others did.

"Caran-san? Why does everybody keep looking at Magina? It seems odd," Nami asked.

She was sitting by one of the smaller fires while Usopp was tinkering with another new invention.

"Yeah, it's like they've never heard her laugh before. Shoot it…" Usopp said as his new toy fell apart suddenly.

Caran gazed at the laughing girl for a moment before replying, "Most of them haven't."

"What?" Sanji asked, looking up from the pot of chowder he was stirring.

"Everybody laughs," Zoro said holding his katana as he drained his cup. One of the villagers refilled it immediately.

"She hasn't laughed for almost 12 years now. I don't know how but I think she knew that her mother's death wasn't natural. After she died, Magina couldn't laugh. Even then, only her father could make her smile. We're just glad that you were able to lift her spirits so that she can laugh again. Maybe she can fulfill her dream now that she has been given a reason."

"12 years…" Nami trailed off in wonder, staring at Magina.

"That shitty snake! I'm glad we took care of him," Sanji said a little ferociously as he stirred the pot vigorously.

"Come to think of it," Nami remarked absently, looking at a map, "she didn't laugh on-board either."

Caran smiled. "Ah, well. That's in the past now. Since we know that Magina can be happy, we can send her off with no worries. You'll look after her, see that she keeps smiling?"

"If there's one thing Luffy knows how to do; it's to keep everyone smiling. Even if he is a baka, he'd never hurt someone he's named nakama," Nami said giving an exasperated sigh.

"Well, then there's no need to be concerned about it," Caran said, taking a drink from his mug.

"Caran-san! Start the feast!"

"Yeah! Come on, Fish-Ossan! I'm starving!" Luffy shouted patting his belly.

Laughing, Caran stood up. "Good people! This feast is for the brave souls who battled the snake in our midst. Magina, who pointed us in the right direction, will have the honor of the first taste tonight!" Loud cheers echoed throughout the corners of the village.

Caran held his hands up to stop the cheering. "Our livelihood is dangerous and over the years; it has taken many lives but one thing a fisherman never forgets is why he fishes. It is not to feed family and friends." Caran paused and looked into his mug. "It is because the seas call to him. The love of the song of the sea… it is the sea that makes us want to go back to it time and again." He paused again and lifted his mug. Everybody raised their glasses. "To the sea!" Caran shouted and downed what was left in his mug.

The shouts rang and chimed like a bell choir. "To the sea!" "To the sea!"

Luffy laughed again, rose his glass high and shouted emphatically, "TO THE SEA!"

The party lasted to the small hours of the next morning, but everyone was there to see Magina and the crew set off. She only brought an odd-shaped carisack with her. It had her fishing tools, one change of clothes, some materials to make a net and one more item. Caran once again carried her and they waited for someone from the ship.

Luffy walked behind Caran and plucked Magina from his back. He chuckled at Caran's look of surprise. The rest of the crew got on board and everyone was in a good mood. Everybody but the villagers. Magina thought she heard sniffling and a few sobs break through the noise of the crew preparing to leave.

"Oi! Set sail!" Luffy yelled, grinning.

"Magina!" Caran shouted from the shore as the ship started moving away.

Luffy, with Magina still on his back, leaned over the railing. Magina waved and laughed. The village burst into tears.

"We're sorry, Magina!" they cried at once.

"Thank you, everyone!" Magina called, blinking back tears of her own.

They probably couldn't imagine why she was thanking them but she was just leaving it at that. One day, they'd understand the reason.

"Yosh! To the Grand Line!" Luffy shouted.

Magina turned her head so that she could catch the wind. It whipped her long hair like a billowing flag behind Luffy. "Oh. So that's where we're going. What's there?"

"One Piece," Luffy laughed.

"The greatest swordsman in the world," Zoro said, leaning against the mast.

"All-Blue," Sanji interjected excitedly.

"Uncharted territory," Nami grinned.

"M-m-monsters," Usopp stuttered, his legs shaking.

Zoro punched him in the head.

"Oi, Zoro! What was that for?" Usopp yelled at him.

"You're the one who wants to become a brave warrior of the sea. You shouldn't be scared of monsters," Zoro retorted back.

Luffy giggled as he jumped up to the ship's stern. "All our dreams are at the Grand Line," he said, serious even though he was smiling. It reminded her of that crazy smile of Zoro's.

Magina grinned as she sat up straighter. "My dream is there too!"

"Caran-san said something about fulfilling your dream. What is it?" Nami asked.

Magina chuckled slightly, lighting up just thinking about it. "It's complicated."

"Explain it over lunch," Sanji called from the galley.

"Food!" Luffy cried, launching himself from the stern.

Magina held on tightly. She gratefully took Sanji's hand as he helped detach her from Luffy's back. Everybody else came to the galley more slowly.

"How much do you know about sirens?" Magina asked before taking a bite of food.

"Not much, just what Caran told us," Usopp replied around a mouthful.

"It was said that sirens lured unsuspecting sailors from the sea and then killed them," Sanji commented while serving Nami.

"He said that a siren could seduce anyone- no matter how strong they were," Zoro said with his hands folded across his chest.

"There are very few that can resist a siren's spell, but a true siren can do so much more. My mother explained it to me. You know how each thing has an energy, a living emotion? Well, a siren manipulates or imitates those emotions. A siren can make anyone change an attitude just by singing the right sort of song," Magina explained.

"Do you know any of those songs?" Nami asked.

"Only one; my mother used to sing it to me so that I'd fall asleep," she answered sheepishly. "Anyway, my dream is to find the song of the sea!"

"The song of the sea?" Luffy asked, stuffing a hunk of meat in his mouth.

"Yes. It is a legend but there used to be sirens who could control the sea by singing to it. Everything, every person has its own song; if you know how to listen to it. There are so many facets to a sea that trying to find one song for it should be impossible, but I'm going to find it!" Magina smiled.

"Is there anything else a siren can do?" Zoro asked, eating quickly to make sure Luffy didn't snatch his food.

"I don't know if it's common for other sirens but there is something else I can do. The people that I'm close to, I can hear their songs," Magina said sheepishly.

"What does that mean?" Usopp queried.

"Everybody has a song of their own. My father had one. My mother had one. You all do too, I just haven't heard them yet. It's too soon for that. In a couple of weeks, I can show you what I mean. It's very difficult to explain it so that it makes sense," Magina said, her eyebrows knitting together in frustration.

"Do you remember your mother's song? Maybe we can understand better if we could hear an example," Nami suggested, interested in spite of how crazy it sounded to her.

"I'll need my carisack," Magina said softly.

"What's wrong?" Sanji asked in concern.

"Oh, nothing's wrong. Most of what I remember was after she was poisoned. That made her song change. I just don't know if I can remember her real song. That and I'm out of practice. Imagine…a siren who has lost their ability to sing," Magina smiled self-consciously.

"Your bag? Here it is," Usopp interrupted and handed it to her.

She nodded in thanks, unzipped the bag and brought out a guitar.

"People's songs are like a bunch of voices banding together to make one song. If I just sang my mother's song, then you would be missing some of the experience."

Magina plucked the strings to make sure they were in tune. When she got the key she wanted, she started. She closed her eyes; concentrating on remembering her mother's song before the poison.

The first measures were broken chords- like rays of sunlight breaking out over the water for the first time. Very slowly, she painted a field of flowers with her guitar- jasmine, lilac and honey suckle slowly awakening to the rising sun. Once the flowers were stretching their awakened blooms to catch the sun's rays, she sang the melody; the fragile, beautiful butterfly that flitted from flower to flower, gathering the beauty with every flap of it's wings.

Critically speaking, her voice was a little raw but it didn't affect the song much. This was the last day that she remembered being with her mother before the song changed. Unconsciously, she sang about it. Her chords started to sound dissonant so she switched to a minor key. The butterfly continued to struggle against the inevitable but eventually the pain to stay alive was just too great. The butterfly dropped to the ground, dead. The flowers started wilting too and the sun finally set over the poisoned, dead field. The song ended on a mournful note; her own keening that she had never been able to express. When she looked up, she saw Luffy, Nami and Usopp crying.

"That was beautiful, Magina-san," Sanji said seriously.

"I'm very much out of practice."

"So you knew your mother was being poisoned?" Zoro asked.

"I knew something was wrong but I was still too young to understand. When my mother got sick, her song never changed- not like that. When it changed so drastically…deep-down I knew she was dying. It was so painful for her; near the end. The doctor wouldn't believe me until it was too late. She didn't last long enough for him to help her," Magina said, blinking back unshed tears.

"So, I can have a song too?" Luffy asked, wiping his eyes and grinning.

Magina laughed a little. "You already have a song. I just haven't heard it yet."

"A song…all my own…" Luffy said with stars in his eyes.

"What does the song do?" Usopp asked.

"I can tell if people are feeling sick or what mood they're in. If the song doesn't change, I know that everyone is alright," Magina shrugged. "It takes some getting used to."

"What about sensing the currents? How does that work?" Nami asked.

"The currents…" Magina paused for a second. Something was wrong with the currents. There didn't seem to be any.

"We need to get on deck, now!" Magina exclaimed.

The panic in her voice made her sound shrill. She hobbled her way through the galley door; the rest of the crew following behind her.

"What's wrong? It's calm out here," Luffy said, scratching his head in confusion.

Magina looked at Nami, hoping that she would notice it too. She was the navigator- she'd figure it out. It took Nami only a few moments before she screamed in realization. Magina allowed herself to sink to the deck; her ankle was still too weak to allow her to put her whole weight on it.

"Rope up the sails and get rowing! We have to get out of here!" Nami yelled, looking down at the sea over the railing.

"Wait, what's wrong?" Usopp asked.

"Fine, you want me to explain it to you?" Nami said as she returned to the galley.

Everybody followed her. Zoro picked Magina up and set her back on a chair. Nami went on to explain that the Grand Line was in between two Calm Belts- belts that never had any wind and no currents. Ships, especially sailing ships, could be lost on the Calm Belt for weeks, slowly dying from starvation and dehydration.

"How did you know?" Nami demanded as she turned to face Magina.

"There weren't any currents and we weren't moving at all. The sea felt incredibly dead, which isn't right. There's always a current flowing somewhere. I just couldn't believe that there wasn't any on this ocean," Magina shrugged.

"So, it's basically instinct," Nami said.

"Yep, but it's not usually this slow. Then again, I've never sailed here before. Otherwise my fish instincts would be acting up right about now…" and she stopped, the subsequent picture in her head leaving her speechless. Magina blanched suddenly.

"Something huge is coming this way. No, several huge things are coming this way."

Everybody leapt to their feet and started heading toward the oars. Magina couldn't move for a moment. It was happening again. It wouldn't happen again; she'd make sure of it. She wobbled her way towards the deck and just made it through the doorway when the ship lurched alarmingly. She was sent sprawling across the deck. She grabbed a railing and painfully pulled herself up. They were in the air and sitting on the snout of a large monster. It wasn't like the snake but it was about the same size.

"AYI! IT'S HUGE!" Nami screamed.

Usopp and Nami were moaning and wailing like their lives were over. Magina gripped the railing for a second before limping towards the mast. She had to see and she couldn't from down there. She painfully made her way up to the lookout point. She picked up the binoculars and peered through them. She thought at first she was peering at an island but then it moved. Magina gasped. That was it, the mother-snake of them all. She tried to see if she could find an end to the long mass of scales. It seemed to go on forever. Instead of finding the end, she managed to find the beginning. The eyes filled up the binoculars so that she could see and hear nothing else. Magina wanted to scream. wanted to do anything to stop staring at those eyes. There was no doubt that this was the same snake. Her mind went blank as she crumpled to the ground.

_So now, you've hit the part of the story that I will be mirroring the manga a bit, at least for a few major plot points. There will be some things from the arcs that are different. I am warning you now just so that it doesn't shock you. Since I wrote this story with Magina joining the crew in East Blue, I didn't want to skip all of the arcs that Eiichiro Oda wrote originally. We'll be visiting Drum Island and mentioning the other arcs. I really tried to stay away from using Oda's hard work and I kept away as much as possible. Thank you everyone for reading. I appreciate it! I would also like to personally thank Kagome Echizen Fan, OkamiNeko-chan, Little Ai, FreeHugs0009, and Zororenjilover. Anyways, review if you wish and I'll reply. Look forward to the next chapter!_

_. . ._


	7. A New Threat?

_Legal things: All One Piece characters, settings and original plot belongs to Eiichiro Oda. I only own the sirens and fishermen. Enjoy chapter 7!_

Zoro wasn't exactly afraid. There wasn't much that scared him but he would admit to being worried. His captain was doing something stupid…again. Luffy swung himself right into the nose of the leviathan. Almost immediately, the monster took in a shuddering breath.

"Luffy, get back up here!" Nami yelled.

Luffy grinned and stretched back up to the ship. The monster took in another breath. It was going to sneeze them off!

Usopp had the same thought because he yelled, "O-oi! Everybody grab hold of something!"

Zoro glanced around quickly to make sure everyone was accounted for. Love Cook was close to Nami, which was no surprise. Usopp was holding tightly to a railing and Luffy was wrapped around the goat's head. Magina was…where was Magina? Zoro looked up at the crow's nest, she was just standing there. Something wasn't right and there wasn't much time. Before he could warn her to hold on to something, she fell out of the lookout. The monster took in another gulp of air. Soon, it would sneeze. He had to act fast before she fell overboard.

"Oi! Magina!" Usopp yelled, taking an arm off the railing to point at her.

Zoro leapt into the air.

"Magina-san!" Zoro heard Sanji yell nearby.

"Shit!" Zoro muttered.

Sanji jumped at the same time that he did. They collided in mid-air.

"Damn Love Cook!" Zoro shouted.

"Shitty marimo!" Sanji yelled back.

Magina was still falling and if something wasn't done soon… Zoro and Sanji fought but Zoro was the one who was closer to Magina. He stepped on Sanji's head and jumped. He caught Magina just in time. They both crashed to the ground. Sanji had already walked back to Nami, muttering expletives under his breath. Zoro quickly grabbed a rope and wrapped it around Magina and himself and held the rope taut. The leviathan sneezed. He looked up to see how the rest of the crew was faring. Luffy was laughing, enjoying himself until…

"AHHHHHHH!" Usopp screamed.

"Usopp!" Luffy yelled as Usopp fell overboard.

"THERE'S A GIANT FROG! IT'S GOING TO EAT ME! LUFFY!" Usopp shouted, tears streaming down his face.

Luffy grabbed the railing and jumped down the side of the ship. He stretched as far as he could and grabbed Usopp. The frog missed and both Luffy and Usopp came back on the Going Merry. The ship sailed through the air for a bit before landing roughly back into the water. They landed in the middle of a storm. Magina stirred a little beneath him. She shivered slightly but somehow Zoro knew that it wasn't from the wet or the cold. She gasped and stiffened as her eyes flew open. They were unfocused at first but they slowly adjusted. That wasn't normal, he was sure of it.

"Oi. You okay?"

She blinked a couple of times, as if she didn't comprehend his question. That couldn't be a good sign. What was wrong with her? The storm was getting rougher. He'd have to at least get her off the deck. Maybe the rest of the crew could handle the ship by themselves, but he and Magina would be stepped on if he didn't move her.

Zoro hauled himself up, unwrapping the rope as he went along. Magina still made no effort to move so he helped untangle her and carried her to the galley. Everybody else was running around the ship, tying down ropes and taking care of the sails. They'd be fine without him and Magina was in no shape to help at all. He set her on the bed, trying to figure out what was wrong with her. She was shaking uncontrollably now. Zoro touched her hand but it wasn't cold. He squatted down and looked at her face. Magina gazed off into the distance, seeming only able to focus straight ahead of her. Zoro felt her forehead, maybe she was feverish. She felt a little clammy but it was no fever.

"Oi, Magina…snap out of it!" Zoro tried again.

All of a sudden, she came back to life, weeping hysterically. She curled her legs up and hugged her knees as she sobbed. The storm outside calmed down so the rest of the crew made their way to the galley to see what was wrong with Magina.

"Oi! Shitty swordsman! If you made Magina-san cry, I'll kick your ass!" Sanji said, lighting a cigarette.

"I didn't do anything!" Zoro yelled defensively at him.

"Oi, Magina, what's wrong?" Luffy asked, kneeling next to the bed.

"They want me to come to them," Magina said in-between sobs. "I don't want to go! I want to stay here!"

"Who are 'they'?" Nami asked perplexed.

"I don't know…I don't know. Don't let them take me, please!"

"Magina. You're nakama. We're not going to let anyone take you away from us," Luffy said, putting his hands on her shoulders gently.

Her wild sobbing settled considerably and she looked up hesitantly. Luffy smiled at her. The grip on her knees lessened a little and she gave a weak, watery smile back. At that moment, Luffy's stomach growled and a second later; Magina's stomach chimed in. Luffy laughed boisterously and soon almost everyone joined in. Even Magina giggled a little, her tears starting to dry.

"I'll prepare some food," Sanji chuckled and grabbed a pot.

Everybody else started taking their usual eating places as Nami sat next to Magina on the bed. Sanji started to cook the food and heat up some tea while the others discussed how to get to the Grand Line. Zoro glanced at Magina and their eyes met. She blushed and quickly looked away.

_She had truly been scared witless, _Zoro thought to himself.

What on earth could have frightened her that badly? A plate appeared before him. He ate quickly, knowing Luffy would be sneaking tidbits off if he didn't finish his plate soon. It didn't take him long. Once everyone was done with their snack and their tea, Sanji cleared the places. Zoro watched as Magina started to drift off sitting up. Her head rested on her knees momentarily before she sat up abruptly. Napping did sound like a good idea. It had been long day, for both him and Magina. He stood up to leave.

"Magina-san, what happened?" Zoro heard Sanji ask. He wanted to hear this so he changed his mind about the nap. He leaned against the doorway and waited for her answer with the rest of the crew.

. . .

Magina was waiting for the question. Nami, Usopp and Sanji had been sneaking glances her way since she calmed down. Her guitar was nearby, thankfully. She wasn't as good with words as she was with music.

"I thought I could see that serpent from the lookout. It only seemed logical that it would be among those monsters. I-I found it. Or should I say…it found me," Magina paused and looked at her guitar.

"What do you mean?" Nami asked.

"There were other people there. It seemed to listen to them. I don't know who they are but they knew about me. They called me. I don't want to go to them! There's something evil about that place." Magina plucked a sinister bass line and shuddered.

"I already told you. Whoever they are, they can't have you. You're nakama, nothing is going to change that," Luffy said, still eating ferociously.

"He's right, Magina-san," Sanji said, handing her another cup of tea.

She gratefully took it and sipped carefully. The warmth eased her and she felt better.

"That's right. The Great Captain Usopp wouldn't let anyone from his crew get captured or dragged away!" Usopp proclaimed, standing up and pointing at the sky.

"Hey! I'm the Captain!" Luffy said, bonking Usopp on the head in mock anger.

"Heh, heh. I got carried away," Usopp shrugged.

Luffy laughed; Usopp and Nami joined in. Magina looked northwest, back to the island- and the snake. They were calling for her; she could hear them. She closed her eyes tightly for a second. When she opened them again, she forced herself to smile. She'd be safe from them- whoever they were. She yawned, in spite of herself.

"It's getting late. Let's stop here for the night," Nami suggested. "We should rest before heading into the Grand Line."

"But I want to go to the Grand Line," Luffy pouted.

"I don't want to sail into the Grand Line at night. That sea is supposed to be disastrous for those who aren't prepared. You want to keep Merry safe? Then, we're not going any further tonight! Come on, Magina. I'll show you to our room," Nami said, getting off the bed and giving her a hand to help her up.

"She shouldn't stand on that ankle," Zoro remarked, still leaning against the door frame.

"Right. Oh, Sanji-kun?"

"Aye, *Nami-swan*?" Sanji asked.

"Could you carry her to the room? You know the way, right?" Nami asked smiling.

"Aye! Nami-swan!" Sanji said as he picked Magina up and carried her to a room below deck.

"It's not really a big room," Nami was saying, "but it's nicely furnished. It's only got the one bed though. We do have a couch…"

"I'll take the couch then," Magina smiled in reply.

"We could take turns…" Nami said, thinking about it.

"I'd really be most comfortable on a hammock. The couch will work just as well," she responded with a grin.

"Nami-swan and Magina-san are so cute when they compromise!" Sanji said, little hearts in his eyes.

"Well, here we are," Nami said as she placed Magina's carisack and her guitar by the couch.

"Thank you, Sanji," Magina said when he gently placed her on the couch.

He bowed deeply. "My pleasure, Mademoiselle. Goodnight ladies," he added as he walked out.

"Good night, Sanji-kun," Nami called out as she searched the room for an extra blanket.

"I know I have another one…Ah! Here it is! We can borrow another pillow and a few more blankets from the boys tomorrow. We really should have a few more on the ship…" Nami trailed off as she turned around.

Magina was already fast asleep, snuggled deeply into the cushion of the couch. Nami smiled before tucking the blanket around Magina's feet and pulling it up to her neck. She wondered what frightened Magina so much. She didn't seem to be the type that scared easily. Nami went to bed but didn't go to sleep for a long time, just thinking about it.

. . .

In the other sleeping quarters, the men were just as bothered by Magina's frightened outburst as Nami was.

"She's not a coward, so what could have scared her that much?" Usopp asked as they all lay in their hammocks.

Nobody answered him for a long time. They were all thinking. Zoro tried to sleep but the picture of the horror on Magina's tear-stained face made sleep almost impossible.

"Do you think that "they" will be coming for her?" Sanji asked as he took a drag of his cigarette.

"Probably. It sounded like they want her pretty badly," Zoro replied fingering his katana.

"We'll just kick their ass when they get here. She has to make my song," Luffy said with a lot of conviction.

The chorus of "Aye"-s echoed in the small room. Eventually, everybody began to drift off as the silence stretched.

Just before he fell asleep, Luffy murmured quietly, "Oi, Sanji."

"What?" was the sleepy reply.

There was another long pause. "I'm hungry."

"You just ate. Wait until morning," Sanji said, sounding annoyed. Sometime amongst the arguing; they fell asleep.

. . .

Magina was worried that she'd dream of large, yellow snake eyes. She woke up with a start. The haunting melody was stronger now; more alluring. She went out on deck, careful not to disturb the others. Her ankle hurt less now but she still had to limp a little. She made it to a railing and leaned on it. She buried her head in her hands trying to win the inner struggle that threatened to overwhelm her. The effort was enough to leave her panting for breath. Droplets of sweat formed around her forehead and trickled down her cheeks and nose. She was strong enough…for now.

A board creaked behind her. She spun around not knowing who it was. She caught a glimpse of another song. One of the crew then; was she already picking up on their songs? It had only been a couple of days! It was supposed to take months, years even, before she heard anything. She turned around to see Zoro. He had a katana out but once he saw her; he put it away. Magina turned back to the railing and gazed across the sea.

"They're singing to me. Half of me wants to go to them; the other half knows that if I do, I'll never be happy again," Magina said, still staring.

Zoro leaned against the railing too, silent. Magina forcibly turned herself away from the sea. She gritted her teeth as another's voice joined the singing.

"Nobody else hears it, do they?" she asked, closing her eyes tight and clenching her fists in an effort to stay where she was.

"No," Zoro replied.

"It's an evil song," Magina commented through clenched teeth.

"Sing it to me," he said suddenly.

Magina turned to look at him. "I won't sing words at this distance. And go across the deck, you don't want to be this close when I start singing."

. . .

Zoro rose an eyebrow at her but strode across the deck anyway. Now they were facing each other. Magina took in a deep breath and began to sing. Zoro leaned in because he couldn't hear it. She was singing so softly…Involuntarily he took a step forward. What? He struggled to put his foot back in it's original stance. Magina's compelling voice urged him to keep moving. Zoro took another step forward. He was sweating now- the effort to control his body tremendous. No matter how much he strained, he couldn't budge a muscle. Zoro was half-way across the deck and he could see Magina's face. It was obvious that she didn't like using this song- her grimace of distaste belayed her beautiful voice. He was approximately a foot away when Magina put her hand on his chest to stop him from getting closer. She fingers trembled but she stopped singing. The constraints of the song slowly wore off.

"I'm sorry," Magina panted. "That song leaves the other person with no choice, no will of their own. They're compelled to follow the directions that the siren sings. When there are no words, the song lures people."

"Can a strong-willed person be trained to ignore the song?" Zoro asked.

"I think so. You resisted much better than I thought you would," Magina answered truthfully.

"You are resisting it much better than I did," he growled in slight frustration.

"I'm half-siren and distance adds strength to my resistance. It's not helping all that much though. I don't know why I haven't jumped into the sea and started swimming away. Even being half-siren doesn't mean I'm immune. One day, it'll be too much and I'll just leave," she removed her hand from his chest. She turned around and faced the sea again.

"Luffy wouldn't let that happen," Zoro said, standing beside her. He didn't mention that no one else on the ship would let it happen either. They hadn't known her long but she integrated so well that it was hard to imagine life on the ship without her.

Magina smiled sadly, thinking that he couldn't see her. "If I ever get to that point, no one, not even Luffy, would be able to stop me."

Zoro widened his eyes. What kind of talk was that? Maybe Magina didn't know their true strength. How could she say it with such conviction? She was completely serious. Not even Luffy…

"Oi, Magina. A true swordsman never lets anyone control him. Every night when the crew's asleep, you will sing and I will train. Understand?" and Zoro pulled out a katana and pointed it at her.

. . .

Magina smiled the first real smile since she saw the snake. "Yes."

Dawn was approaching. With the sun's rising, the song that had been haunting her lessened but it didn't die. Even that much was a relief. She found a fishing pole lying on the deck. Magina picked it up and cast the hook overboard.

"Luffy ate all the bait. I don't think you'll catch much without it," Zoro was saying.

"It's easier to fish on a boat with a net anyway, but you don't need bait to catch a fish," Magina replied jerking the pole back and forth. Zoro scoffed slightly.

"Baka. Whoever heard of catching fish without…agh!" he made a noise of disgust as a fish hit him in the face.

Magina giggled. He gave her an exasperated look as she carefully unhooked the fish and put it in a nearby basket. She flicked the hook back into the water. It wasn't long until the basket was full of fresh fish.

"Luffy and Sanji will be happy," Magina grinned.

Zoro shook his head briefly in amazement. She wasn't kidding; about the song or her fishing skills. Things just got interesting.

_There you go, there's chapter 7! I just discovered yesterday that I have to add a scene, so most of my time tomorrow will probably be spent writing it. Not to worry though, if I can't update tomorrow then I will update on Saturday. I'd like to personally thank Magic126 this time around. I intend to thank anyone who adds this story as a favorite, looks for updates or sends me a review lol. It might seem excessive but I am truly grateful. Thank you to everyone who has read this story so far. Review if you feel like it and I will reply back eventually. _


	8. Unexpected Development

_Legal notices: all original plot, characters and settings belong to Eiichiro Oda. I only own sirens and fishermen._

. . .

"Sudo-sama. There has been a complication," the nervous adviser said, bowing deeply.

"There's another song distracting our prey from returning to us. And they're linked. Yes, this was a grave miscalculation on your part," Sudo's deep voice echoed in the chamber.

"Y-yes, m-my L-lord. We didn't expect that to happen."

"Proceed as planned. Add another singer to the night shift. Also, send in General Kigen. We must speak with him about this matter," Sudo boomed, dismissing the adviser with a wave of his hand.

"As you wish, my lord," the adviser said prostrating lower and rushing out of the room.

Kigen was already waiting outside of the throne room. He expected Sudo's summons. He rapped politely on the door.

"You may enter, General," Sudo commanded.

"My lord," Kigen bowed low after walking into the throne room.

"General. It seems that our prey won't come willingly to us. Lead 25 of your strongest and most loyal song soldiers to fetch her. Observe these…humans that are with her. They have already defeated Arlong and his men. This bears investigation. The mermen are nothing compared to us in terms of strength but for mere humans to be able to defeat them- they need to be watched," Sudo said twirling his beard absently.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Your wish is my command," and Kigen bowed once more before walking out of the room. He went straight to the barracks and began selecting his chosen men. The hunt had begun.

. . .

The night after leaving Little Garden…

Magina gritted her teeth, the muscles in her right arm burning painfully. One-handed pushups were not on the training program that Zoro set for her. She didn't care. She was upset. No amount of 'normal' pushups were going to relieve the fury underneath her calm facade.

"What are you doing?" Zoro's growl cut off her thoughts cleanly.

"I'm…training…" Magina grunted.

"Sure you are," he replied sarcastically.

She refused to retort back. Magina wasn't angry at Zoro. Zoro didn't deserve to take her misplaced aggression. Besides, he was injured. Magina glanced at his legs wrapped in heavy bandages. She winced. She did another pushup quickly. After reaching 50, she carefully switched to her left arm and continued with the repetitive exercise.

"Stop. This isn't training, Magina. Why are you trying to punish yourself?" Zoro asked abruptly.

Magina wasn't going to answer that question either. It was her fault. She should have been there. She was getting stronger daily with the help of Zoro's training. Her siren abilities were also gaining in strength. Magina wanted to assist the crew beyond just fishing regularly. Here was a time that they needed help but she was sleeping. Sleeping! Magina hadn't even realized that they landed on a new island!

Her sleeping schedule was different from the rest of the Straw Hats. Magina trained at the dead of night with Zoro. She went to bed after breakfast and got up for supper. She fished at dusk and dawn. That was only an excuse though. Zoro slept during the day most of the time and he still managed to go exploring with the rest of the crew. If it wasn't for the song; she could have helped. Magina blinked back a combination of sweat and tears. A shadow suddenly loomed over her.

"Magina, I'd like to train sometime tonight. That is, if you're done beating yourself up for no apparent reason."

"I should have been there. I could have helped. Instead, I spent all day sleeping when my nakama needed me!"

"Everybody needs to sleep sometime, Magina. No one is angry with you that you were sleeping. Everyone is fine," Zoro said exasperated.

Magina shook with the effort to continue. What he said was mostly true. When she reached 50 pushups using her left arm, she allowed herself to collapse on the deck.

"Everybody is not fine. You got hurt," she pointed out, "and I'm worried about Nami."

Zoro's growl reverberated in the air. "These are just scratches and we're going to find Nami a doctor. I'm…the rest of us are glad that you didn't get injured this time. Are you going to train me or am I going back to bed?" he added gruffly.

Magina felt all of her worry and resentment slide away as a tiny smile spread across her face. She never thought that Zoro would know the right words in this sort of situation; he tended to let his katana do the talking. Yet she felt relieved, the pressure she put on herself released.

"Alright, let's train then. Usopp invented those new ear plugs so I don't have to hold back anymore," Magina grinned.

Zoro grunted in agreement. This man was something else. He never planned losing to anyone, not even himself. His mindset gave Magina hope and courage. She wouldn't lose either. The sirens that were calling her wouldn't force her away from her new home. This was where she belonged.

. . .

Zoro laid down on his hammock, thinking back on tonight. She surprised him. He didn't know that Magina felt that strongly about not being included in their small adventure at Little Garden. He wondered briefly if he should tell Luffy. They already discussed at length about Magina's siren problem. Luffy hadn't grasped it at first but Zoro 'patiently' helped his captain understand the issue. Luffy concluded that Zoro and Magina should continue training at night if it helped her resist the call. Luffy also might have made that decision based on all the extra supplies that Magina was providing by way of her fishing but Zoro wasn't going to argue. He was beginning to like all the additional time he spent with her.

Not only was he training a willing and able student but he was also training his mind more effectively. In his opinion, that was for the better. One of these days, sirens were going to come for Magina. Zoro didn't care. A confrontation was unavoidable but he was going to be prepared. There should be at least one crew member able to resist the sirens' song. It was great that Usopp invented those ear plugs so that Magina could be more efficient in battle situations. Zoro could still imagine the ear plugs getting knocked out or falling…Zoro's world turned upside as he landed roughly on his back.

"Gomu Gomu no Gattling Gun!"

Luffy stretched and yawned in his sleep. Zoro sat up and yawned as well. He was tired but honestly, he was too preoccupied to sleep. The source of his wandering mind was still diligently exercising. At least she seemed happier now. Zoro never claimed to be a sensitive person. He left that crap to the damn Love Cook. Tonight was an exception. He wasn't blind enough not to notice how upset Magina really was earlier. To avoid a repeat of her bright idea to punish herself, Zoro gave her a goal: 10,000 pushups. Her limit right now was somewhere in the 3,000's so it shouldn't be too easy of a goal to accomplish. He watched her quietly from the entrance.

"I thought you were going to bed, Zoro," Magina asked suddenly.

"I did rest but Luffy was moving around too much," Zoro replied, wondering when she noticed him.

Magina chuckled. "I think he's fighting something. I'm picking up a great deal of conviction in that corner of the ship."

"You're already hearing our individual songs? Wasn't it supposed to take months before you were able to pick up anything?"

"I think I learned them faster since we spend every day together. I already knew your song a week after I joined," Magina frowned in realization.

After struggling with a few more pushups, she sat up and leaned tiredly against the railing. A thin line of purple and orange slowly began to emerge on the east horizon. Zoro sat next to Magina. It felt relaxing to experience a quiet moment like this now and then. Sleeping just might be possible after all.

. . .

She closed her eyes for only a moment. The song was finally beginning to fade in the background. Magina sighed in silent relief as it disappeared completely. Opening her eyes, she grabbed her fishing pole. She wasn't sure if the fish would really bite this morning but she felt so light-hearted that she didn't mind. To her delighted surprise, it only took 20 minutes to fill the basket. Magina thought that she was going to fill the time until breakfast with fishing. She decided to finally start making herself a net. Of course, she managed fishing with just the pole but for the deep sea varieties; Magina knew that a pole wasn't going to be good enough.

Magina quietly made her way to the room that she shared and searched inside her knapsack. Finding her thread, she brought out the large bundle. She snuck back to the top deck. Zoro was sleeping now. She could hear his gentle snoring as she sat down next to him.

Taking two pieces of thread, Magina carefully began knotting them together. In order to keep her mind from wandering, she started humming softly. Today was a good day and the lively tune reflected her inner joy.

Half an hour later, Magina stretched and shook out her fingers. The knots were so tiny, she couldn't work on it for very long without taking a break. She felt rather than saw Zoro shift. Maybe he decided that he wasn't going to sleep on the top deck anymore. It was growing chilly. Magina concentrated on the net, still humming brightly. Some of her knots were too tight, she had to stretch them out before adding any more to the…A calloused hand unexpectedly turned her head. Startled, she glanced at Zoro.

"Z-Zoro?" she squeaked in shock.

He didn't respond. Her breath caught in her throat as Zoro leaned in slowly, as his cool, firm lips settled demandingly on hers. Magina became solely focused on the man in front of her. She had a brief moment of clarified thought about how they probably shouldn't be kissing before breakfast. At any moment, Sanji could walk in and see them. Then, Zoro deepened the kiss and any thinking on her part became impossible.

Just as abruptly as he started, he halted. Zoro stood up, murmured "Bed," and shuffled towards the mens' cabin. Magina sat there for a long time, shock rooting her to the spot. When he kissed her, she couldn't think a single coherent word. Now, her mind raced quicker than Luffy towards a mountain of food. What just happened? Zoro kissed her? He kissed her! Why? It wasn't like she disliked the experience, she was just confused. He hadn't shown interest in her before this. Magina traced her lips gently. That was her first kiss.

"Magina-san? Is something wrong?" Sanji asked from the doorway of the galley.

Startled back to reality, Magina breathed in deeply. She couldn't think about the kiss right now. She'd just pretend that it never happened. She smiled weakly at Sanji's concern.

"I'm alright, Sanji. I'm just tired." She quickly picked up her supplies and carried the basket full of fish to him. "Fishing was good today. I'll try again this evening too."

"Thank you, Magina-san. You're better at fishing than any of those other blockheads. I'll prepare something for you right away."

She nodded. Magina hoped it wouldn't take very long. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to react around Zoro anymore. The kiss never happened. It never happened. As long as she kept telling herself that, then she would manage somehow. Vivi walked into the galley looking utterly exhausted. Sanji quickly poured her a cup of coffee which she took gratefully.

"How is Nami?" Magina asked in concern.

"It doesn't look good. I hope we can find an island with a doctor soon," Vivi sighed heavily.

"Did you stay up all night looking after her?"

Vivi nodded in answer to Magina's question. Magina felt guilty. She was used to staying up all night and the rest of the crew were taking turns watching over Nami instead of her. Zoro nonchalantly walked into the room. Magina caught herself staring at him the moment he entered, particularly at his lips. He saw her looking at her and their eyes met. Magina blushed and looked quickly away. This wasn't going to work. She wouldn't be able to forget that kiss so easily.

"Breakfast is served," Sanji called out the door.

He brought two specially made platters to Magina and Vivi first. Luffy and Usopp came barging in a few moments later. Meanwhile, Magina ate her food as quickly as she could. She had to get away and catch her breath. Just being in the same room as Zoro seemed to take it away from her.

"Who is supposed to watch Nami today?" Sanji asked Vivi, a hopeful light in his eyes.

"Usopp already volunteered," Vivi replied before she took a bite of food.

"Damn it, Usopp! I wanted to watch Nami-swan! Why aren't you taking the night shift?" Sanji advanced on Usopp threateningly.

"Sanji, you can't take a shift. How else am I going to eat? I need ten meals a day!" Luffy said emphatically.

Sanji's eyes narrowed. "No one is getting ten meals a day. You get three and only three!"

Luffy nodded seriously. "Okay then. Twelve meals a day!"

Sanji's growl was followed by him kicking Luffy in the head. Magina only managed to refrain from laughing during the rest of the argument because her mind wandered constantly to the quiet man who sat next to her. When Vivi finished her meal, she thanked Sanji and began to leave. Magina quickly did the same before anyone could stop her.

"Vivi, were you planning on watching Nami again tonight?" she asked.

Vivi nodded and yawned. "I don't know how you do it. Staying up all night is exhausting."

Magina smiled tightly. "Why don't you let me take your place tonight, Vivi? I'm used to it and I can always train in the room while I watch Nami. I just have to make sure the cloth stays wet and that she doesn't need anything, right?"

"That would be a big help, Magina but doesn't Zoro also train with you?"

"Yes. I have a few new ideas for some battle songs but I won't be able to concentrate unless I have a quiet place to work. He'll understand," she replied, not at all certain that he would.

Magina saw the relief just radiating from Vivi. Now she had a valid excuse to avoid Zoro. She hoped that it wouldn't be very long until she forgot about that kiss.

. . .

He just didn't understand females. That went without saying but since Zoro was having trouble grasping the mind of one female in particular, the thought needed to be repeated. The first thing he thought was that maybe he had insulted her. Normally, he didn't care if he insulted anyone. Luffy never got upset, it was funny to watch Usopp run around like a beheaded chicken, and Sanji and Nami usually had it coming to them. If he insulted Magina, she fought to prove the insult false by working twice as hard. He couldn't have insulted her.

He must have done something. Magina refused to make eye contact with him and she blushed whenever their eyes accidentally met. Zoro couldn't think of anything. He stretched and closed his eyes. He was exhausted. It was pointless to worry about something that he didn't even remember. The moon shone, bathing the deck with gentle light. Too bad they weren't training tonight. It was a perfect evening for training. He yawned. Oh, well. Magina couldn't avoid him forever. They would train tomorrow night for sure. Zoro smiled at the thought moments before he fell asleep.

_First a big thank you to everyone who has stuck with me this far. I hope you liked this chapter. If there is going to be an obviously glaring mistake in any chapter, it'd probably be this one. I edited it twice but you never know. Also, I'd like to thank Dark Prime0 this time around. I'll update as soon as I can again. Thanks! _


	9. Drum Island: the Land of Snow

_Legal things: All original plot, characters and settings belong to Eiichiro Oda. If I own anything, it would be the sirens and the fishermen. I did not write this for profit and I did not get any monetary reward for writing this story. Enjoy chapter 9!_

A day or two later…

Magina shivered. The chill in the air was bitter in more ways than one. She brought out her mother's cloak and shrugged it around her shoulders. Vivi shook her head at her in disbelief.

"No one told you to bring a coat?"

"We never needed them on my island. The season changes were mild enough to do without," Magina replied, her teeth chattering slightly.

"Land ho!" Luffy yelled.

"Let's get Nami in her coat. We don't have a lot of time to waste," Vivi said, finding the yellow coat.

"Good idea," she remarked, sitting Nami up while Vivi put the coat on Nami.

Though no one would say it, they were all worried about Nami. They already wasted some precious time wandering the sea. Vivi knew how to work the Log Pose but since it hadn't adapted to the next island, they could only hope that eventually they'd find what they were looking for.

After experiencing a misunderstanding with the locals, the majority of the crew vacated Merry with the sole mission of locating a doctor. Only Zoro, Magina and Carue stayed behind to guard the ship. Magina wrapped herself in a blanket as Zoro very deliberately removed his earplugs. She nearly sighed. He was obsessive about training with her. If Magina knew that avoiding him for two nights made him this fixated, she would have found another solution. At least, he didn't seem to remember kissing her. Zoro gave her a crazy and confident smile.

"Carue, do you have your earplugs in?" Magina asked in resignation.

Carue nodded vigorously and flapped his wings to keep himself warm.

Zoro chuckled briefly. "Come, siren. Sing."

Magina took in a deep breath of cold air and sang the familiar, haunting melody. She expected him to begin walking forward as he always did. Instead, Zoro sweated and grunted but he didn't move from his spot. Magina sang with more force, actually concentrating on making him move. He swayed to her but didn't take that first step. She sang louder, knowing that she reached her limit of volume and force. Zoro clenched his fist and took the first step. He continued to surprise her because just as he shifted his weight to take another, he growled and stayed still.

To her greatest astonishment, he struggled to lift his arms. Slowly, Zoro drew the white katana and put it in his mouth. He unsheathed the other two katana and stepped forward. It took Magina a second to realize that he was walking on his own. She tried to reassert control but it didn't do any good. Before she knew what has happening; one of Zoro's katana rested against her neck. Her singing faltered and Zoro grinned.

"I win," he said, his confident smile in full force.

Magina smiled. "Your will power is incredible, Zoro."

Zoro sheathed his katana.

"You've gotten stronger too. I've been noticing it over the weeks. What's the next step?"

"Can you fight when I sing?" Magina asked.

"Let's find out," Zoro said as he returned to the other side of the ship and unsheathed his katana once again.

"Did you want me to start off quietly?" she asked, preparing her starting breath.

"Full force," Zoro growled around the katana in his mouth.

"Alright then," Magina muttered before singing with as much force and conviction as she could muster.

Zoro did nothing at first. After a moment's pause, he sprinted straight for her. However, he didn't attack. She stopped singing and waited for him to get control of himself again. He did, blinking at her and shaking his head slightly.

"Sorry, Zoro. I guess I overdid it," Magina said, leaning against the railing and panting.

"That was your strongest yet," Zoro glared at her accusingly like she was purposefully holding back during their training.

"It won't be long until you're more powerful than this stage though. I'll need to start adding words soon. Then, we'll have to start over," Magina brushed some sweat away before it froze on her face.

"Is there really that much difference between singing with words and without them?" Zoro asked incredulously.

"Yes. Without words there's only the will of the song to worry about. It's the words that give the song strength and purpose. I should come up with a few once we pass this stage."

Magina rubbed her temples. She was getting a terrible headache. From out of nowhere; a deep, compelling voice started singing to her. She forced herself to ignore it but it wasn't like the other voices. The harder she tried to keep control of herself, the more her head hurt. Magina clapped her hands to her head and fell to her knees on the deck. She screamed, the pain unbearable. Just as abruptly as it came- the song stopped. She sat there for a moment, dazed beyond movement.

"Oi, Magina!"

"I'm okay, Zoro. I think," Magina replied.

"The song?"

She nodded. "There was a new singer, more compelling than I thought. He is powerful. Any more like that…" she trailed off, picking herself gingerly off the deck. "The sheer force of will of that singer; he's the one who wants me to come. The other voices are just pawns. I can resist them, especially at this distance. It doesn't matter how many of them there are, but that one…" Magina shook her head, then tried to rub the headache out of her temples.

Something dribbled down her face. She wiped her nose, stunned to see blood when she pulled her hand away. Zoro scooped up some snow from the deck and handed it to her. She took it and put it against her bleeding nose. The cold felt good and the blood slowly stopped. Magina took the blood-red snow and threw it overboard. Zoro set down his katana and sat cross-legged on the deck.

"What will my training be today?" she asked after a moment.

"Today…" Zoro yawned briefly and then stood back up. "Weather endurance," and he pointed to the raging river below.

Magina looked at him in surprise before she took off her cloak. She wrapped it around her head like a turban. She rose an eyebrow at him before jumping into the freezing water. The shock of the cold was enough to knock the breath out of her for a second. Luckily, her cloak was still dry. When they got out of the river, she'd have it to warm her up.

"Shit," she heard Zoro say from up above.

Magina grinned. He hated whenever she beat him to the punch. There was a second splash and Zoro appeared beside her.

"Strong strokes, keep moving or you'll freeze to death. Follow me," Zoro said, starting off downriver.

Magina swam after him, noticing that her fingers and toes were already numb. He pushed onwards and she had to use her most powerful strokes to keep up. That helped warm the rest of her, though her fingers were still cold.

. . .

Zoro glanced behind him. He expected to see Magina falling behind. Not only was she keeping up with him, she was gaining on him! Zoro grinned. She reminded him of Luffy. No matter how hard he pushed her, she always got back up. They really needed a doctor on the ship, not just because of the situation with Nami now but for Magina as well. She drove past any injuries that he inflicted on her, even if it might kill her. After they were done training for the day, she really needed someone there to patch her up even if she'd never admit it. She was beside him now. They swam together down the length of the river. Zoro could hear Magina's teeth chattering. Time to get out of the water. After all, he wasn't trying to kill her. This was only training.

"Oi, Magina. To the right over there," Zoro said, nodding to a little inland bar of snow.

Magina nodded, her lips blue. She sluggishly moved to where Zoro indicated.

_Shit, _he thought to himself. He hadn't realized that she was that far gone. He'd have to do something to fix that once they reached the shore.

"Come on, siren. You're not that weak," Zoro goaded her into speeding up.

He needed to get her on land. She jerked in the water and moved quicker to the shore. Zoro sighed in relief for a second before following after her.

. . .

Magina crawled onto the snow-covered shore. She couldn't feel anything. She was cold and she was so tired. She was dimly aware of Zoro coming onshore. She struggled to rise to her feet. Magina swayed but a warm, strong body kept her standing. Her mother's cloak was unwrapped from her head and thrown around her. It kept the wind's chill off her frozen, wet body but not much else. Zoro wrapped his arms around her. Magina was too cold to even be embarrassed. He started rubbing her arms and her legs. The friction warmed her a little but not enough to counteract the arctic-like temperatures.

"Don't you have a song to get the blood boiling, siren?" Zoro asked.

"M-my s-songs wouldn't affect m-m-me," Magina replied, her teeth chattering rapidly.

"We need to get you to town before hypothermia sets in," he said scanning the landscape around him. "But where are we?"

"T-that's the way t-t-to the ship," Magina said, pointing a blue finger back up the river.

"You know where we are?" Zoro asked in surprise.

"S-song h-helps," she muttered, the last of her strength coming to an end.

. . .

Zoro let her fall into his arms. They'd both freeze if he stayed here much longer.

"Magina? Magina, which way?" he asked, forcing her to stay awake.

"D-down river, then t-take left. Z-Zoro? N-no circles…this t-time," Magina commented before finally passing out.

Zoro picked her up and hefted her on his shoulder. They had a long way to go before they reached town. He jogged in the direction Magina pointed to.

An Hour Later…

Zoro scratched his head in confusion. He followed the river but somehow he lost it. Rumbling filled the air. Zoro looked up in surprise. A mountain of snow was plummeting towards them. He ran in the opposite direction but the snows still caught him. Magina was torn from his grasp and the avalanche buried him. Now what? If he unburied himself, he could start another avalanche. If he didn't move, he would suffocate. He sighed. He'd wait for a little bit and then start working his way out. Magina needed his help.

. . .

Magina jerked awake as the violent upheaval of snow ripped her from Zoro. Luckily, she landed on top of the avalanche instead of buried beneath it. She only waited for the snow to stop moving before standing up wearily. She slowly looked around her, expecting to see Zoro. He wasn't anywhere in sight. She still heard his song so she knew he wasn't dead, but it was faint, smothered. She groggily moved in the direction that she heard it. She was so cold. She could dimly recall Zoro keeping her moving every once in a while. Magina was mad at him for that. He wouldn't let her sleep, not for very long anyways. She was so tired. She paused. His song was very near here. Magina started digging, being very careful not to shift too much snow. If an avalanche started again, they'd both be in trouble. The snow was iced over, crystallized. Magina clawed her way through, not noticing or caring that the ice-like snow created long gashes on her hands and arms. By the time that Magina reached Zoro, she was shaking with cold and fatigue. She managed to clear the snow away from his face before collapsing. Zoro would have to do the rest himself.

. . .

Zoro heard the crunch of snow above him. Somebody was up there! They were shifting the snow away. The snow was slowly stealing his warmth. If only he had brought his katana. He could've cut his way out by now. He looked up. Was it his imagination or was more light filtering through? A bloodied hand broke through the snow. Another hand, just as bloody as the other one, cleared enough of the snow away for him to breathe easily. The hand started moving to clear more snow away but it fell limp and there was a _Thud!_ nearby. He could get out now. Zoro wriggled until his arms were free. After that, it was easy enough to lift himself out of the snow. Magina was collapsed on the ground; her arms and hands bleeding. He leaned down and propped her up. He slapped her face gently. She could die of shock before they even reached a town.

"Oi, Magina! Come on, wake up!" Zoro said.

Her eyelids fluttered but didn't actually open. He frowned. That wasn't a good sign.

"Okay, hold on, Magina. We're going to make it to a town. Just hold on a little longer," Zoro said, putting her on his back and starting off.

He walked quickly, feeling the cold himself. He discovered some tracks and followed them. There was a sled up ahead, buried in a drift.

"Oi, Zoro!" Usopp called out, waving his arms happily.

"What are you doing halfway up the mountain?" Vivi asked.

Zoro almost groaned. "I'm trying to find the town. Usopp, give me your coat. It's freezing out here!"

"No," Usopp argued, chattering, "Remember a coat next time."

"Fine, get us back to town then," Zoro said exasperated.

"Us?" Usopp asked.

Zoro turned slightly so that Vivi and Usopp could see Magina.

"What happened?" Vivi asked, jumping out of the sled and running to check on Magina.

"Later, she's going into shock and we need to get her warm," he replied, waiting for them to lead the way.

"This way," Vivi immediately took charge and headed off in the opposite direction.

Usopp followed behind Zoro to make sure that he didn't get lost again. Meanwhile, Zoro just noticed that he was really starting to get cold. It made sense. He wasn't wearing anything but his pants and he was carrying a person who felt like an ice cube.

"Usopp, try to wake Magina up. As long as she's awake, we have a chance of saving her," Zoro said, trudging through the snow.

"Aye," Usopp answered, catching up to him. He started to poke Magina and calling her name.

Vivi turned her head, "What happened?"

Zoro sighed. "We were training in the river. When we got to shore, she collapsed. I started walking to town but we got caught in the avalanche. She dug me out and I carried her the rest of the way here."

He summed up almost the whole morning. He didn't mention his training, nor Magina's experience with that new singer. Zoro felt one of Magina's hands clutch his shoulder weakly.

"I think you're doing it, Usopp. Keep trying."

Usopp redoubled his efforts. Luckily, they were close to town. Zoro's teeth started to chatter now too. The avalanche had gotten the town and most of the houses were buried in snow. The villagers looked okay though. Zoro spotted some soldiers wearing thick coats with a fur trim.

"Zoro, those are the soldiers from the ship, attack them or something. I'll back you up," Usopp said, his knees shaking.

All Zoro could think about was how nice and warm those coats looked. He slowly pulled Magina off his back and let Usopp support her. Her face was blue now. He'd have to hurry or it'd be all over for her. He slowly walked through the crowd and headed toward one of the soldiers. He was just about to demand that two of them surrender their coats when he decided against it and charged them. He tackled the nearest one and slipped off his coat and boots and threw them on as they somersaulted to the ground. He disarmed him just to be sure.

Zoro was surprised at how warm the coat actually was. Now he just needed another coat for Magina. The other soldiers were stunned at first but regained their composure and stormed him. He ran through the troop of soldiers- picked off two more swords and obliterated them. He left only one unscathed. He grabbed the lapels of the man's coat and picked him off the ground.

"Give up your coat and I won't kill you," Zoro growled menacingly.

The man's face paled and he nodded his head vigorously, his chattering teeth having nothing to do with the weather. Zoro dropped the man and the man hurriedly shrugged out of his coat before running away. Zoro caught it before it fell and walked quickly over to Magina. He handed it to Vivi and Usopp and they wrapped it around her body. He frowned; he was already feeling the warmth the coat provided. How long would it take for Magina to start warming up? There was a sudden grunt behind them. Zoro turned around, caught unawares.

"Dalton-san!" Vivi exclaimed as Dalton pulled himself out of the snow. Three ugly wounds were on his chest but Dalton grimly smiled.

"I'm heading to the castle. If you need a doctor, that's your best chance of finding one," he said, looking up at the snow covered monolith in the distance.

Zoro once again picked up Magina. "Lead the way," he said, using the sash of the coat to tie her securely around his waist. He didn't know if there would be any climbing but just in case…

Dalton nodded and shifted before his very eyes before turning and dashing off towards the mountain. Zoro sighed before taking off after him. Magina stirred slightly, only enough to somehow keep him on the bison's trail. He didn't think that she was conscious. When she wasn't giving him directions, she mumbled about songs, links and sirens. Whether it was instinct or her siren abilities, Zoro didn't care. Whatever it was- it kept him from getting lost and that was the important thing. If he got lost now, Magina would die.

_I know, this seems like a horrible place to end the chapter. Lol. I'd like to thank Zororenjilover, mikiiiiihearts and LesilleB in this chapter. I'm also going to thank my sisters since they've helped me a lot with editing this piece. I'm going to begin editing chapter 10 so look forward to a new chapter soon! Review if you wish. Thank you for reading! _


	10. And the Crack Appears

_Legal notices: All original plot, characters and settings belong to Eiichiro Oda. Also, I was not paid money nor received any payment of any kind for writing this piece. Please enjoy chapter 10!_

. . .

Magina woke up slowly. She was astonished when she realized she was back on the Going Merry. It was night and the song was almost unbearable. They added another voice. Magina gritted her teeth in an effort to ignore the stirring she felt. Then, the other singer, the strong one, joined in. She gasped out loud. The pull was undeniable. She weakly pushed her covers aside and attempted to stand. It was no surprise when she fell but instead of lying there, she crawled to the top deck. Magina was halfway to the railing when she stopped. She lay there for a moment, panting, forcing her trembling body to do her bidding. One of her arms twitched, moving forward but Magina ruthlessly yanked it away.

Tears dripped down her cheeks. She couldn't resist at this rate. Her body recognized it too for she started to crawl, the edge of the boat only feet away. _No!_ she thought to herself. She jerked to a stop once more, gasping for breath. Shuddering sobs wracked her in between gulps of air. Another song approached her from behind. It was Zoro. Magina wanted to clench her fists but couldn't find the strength to move. If she tried, she might inadvertently leave the ship. He planted himself in front of her and looked out at the sea.

"The new singer?" he asked, folding his arms across his chest.

"Yes," she gasped. "And four of the pawns," she added as an afterthought.

Zoro nodded. He picked her up and carried her back to the galley. He set her down on the bed and pulled the covers back over her. He grabbed a chair and set it beside the bed. Gradually, Magina's breathless sobs eased as the newest singer, that strangely persuasive vocalist, dropped from the chorus. Even with four singers; the song wasn't as compelling as when the _other_ one sang it. Magina visibly relaxed, even as she struggled to sit up.

"What are you doing?" Zoro asked, his eyes closed.

"Did you forget? It's night, that means training," Magina answered through clenched teeth.

"There's no training tonight, doctor's orders," Zoro said, opening one eye and glancing her way.

"Doctor? What doctor?" she asked, the confusion emanating from her eyes.

"You'll see," was all he would say.

Fine, he could keep his secrets; she still needed to get up. She pushed against the bed, attempting to sit. Zoro shook his head at her stubbornness. He took one of his sheathed katana and held it out above her neck. It kept her from getting up. Magina gave an exaggerated sigh before flopping back down on the bed. She glared at Zoro balefully. He suppressed a grin. Her chagrin didn't change Chopper's orders. Magina wasn't allowed to get up yet.

"Take it up with him," Zoro said, glancing at the doorway.

Magina stared at the doorway too. There was some sort of deer trying to hide behind the frame except it was facing them. She puzzled over that for a second and then politely asked, "Excuse me, but…isn't it the other way?"

The deer's eyes grew wide and his mouth dropped open as he slowly shuffled back around the corner so only his head peeked out. Magina felt an itch in her nose and she sneezed violently. Zoro removed his katana so that it wouldn't hit her in the throat. As soon as her sneezing fit finished, the deer came to her side. He put a hoof to her forehead.

"You have a high fever, not surprisingly. The shock was almost enough to kill you, now your body is making up for it's time in the cold," the deer said quite clearly underneath his tall pink hat with a white 'X' on it.

"Umm," Magina started, completely baffled. "Wait. Who are you? How long have I been sick? Is Nami okay? The others? Why am I back on the ship and where are we?" she asked, unable to contain her curiosity any longer.

"Magina, this is Chopper. He's the doctor. Chopper, Magina is our siren and fisherman," Zoro said by way of introductions.

"The others can tell you the rest tomorrow morning," Zoro continued when he saw her scowl.

Chopper put a damp cloth on her forehead. "Go back to sleep. Rest will help."

Maybe they were right; there was plenty of time to catch up in the morning. Magina fell asleep quickly, despite the song singing through her bones.

. . .

Zoro carefully looked on the proceedings as first Magina fell asleep and then as Chopper took care of her.

"You should take a break too, Zoro," Chopper said, mixing something in a bowl.

Zoro shook his head. "She rests better if I'm in the room. I can sleep anywhere. Besides, you were the one who decided that she needed to sleep peacefully."

"OF COURSE, STUPID HUMAN! SHE'S SICK, SO SHE NEEDS REST!" Chopper yelled at him.

Zoro smirked. He looked out the door. The sun wouldn't be up for hours yet. Maybe Magina could start healing. She spent nearly the last three days delirious and mumbling about songs. He leaned back in his chair. He hadn't left her side while she was sick, knowing that she was always calmer in his presence.

"I'm fine, Chopper. Just worry about her," Zoro sighed heavily.

Chopper stuck his tongue out at Zoro before he checked the bandages on her arms and hands.

"There's one thing that confuses me, Zoro. Why did you insist on watching her? Anyone would take a turn if you let us," Chopper asked, concentrating on rewrapping her arms and hands.

Zoro didn't say anything at first. He didn't want to talk about this. There was a carefully built wall inside that nothing was supposed to penetrate. If he admitted out loud that his feelings were slowly changing, a crack might appear on that impenetrable wall. Zoro closed his eyes and sighed. He needed to choose his words carefully.

"I don't know what it is but there's something deep down…very deep down that makes me want to protect her. She seems helpless sometimes but she's so damn stubborn that you wouldn't know it," Zoro kept his eyes closed, a thoughtful expression on his face.

He didn't really understand it either. Most women were incapable of defending themselves so protecting them was practically natural. If a woman decided to fight him, then Zoro wouldn't deny her that right even if Love Cook did threaten him afterwards. Yet, why did he feel like he must protect Magina at all costs? She was training very hard to defeat that snake. She didn't complain about the siren song or what it was doing to her. Magina had strength and stubbornness, courage and daring; yet frailty and compassion that tempered her stronger qualities. Her strength and her courage helped Zoro to see her as almost an equal while her compassion and his need to protect her endeared her to him.

Chopper just nodded and let Zoro think. It was exactly what he needed. He and Magina were at war with themselves. Magina said one half of her wanted to leave but the other half desperately wanted to stay. Zoro knew that something drew him to Magina even as the rest of him didn't want to get too close. He was positive that if another siren trained him; he wouldn't have any problems. When she sang; he fought to stay where he was because he _wanted_ to go to her. Zoro thought about the implications for a long time. He shook his head and opened his eyes. Chopper looked done.

"She'll sleep until at least dawn," Chopper said, hopping down to the floor. He walked towards the door and paused. "Are you coming, Zoro?"

"I'll stay here. Go ahead, Chopper," he replied, closing his eyes once again.

Zoro heard Chopper sigh and walk away. He was done thinking now so it was a good time to take a nap. He would wake up if Magina tried to move around.

. . .

Magina woke up once before morning but listening to Zoro's light snores lulled her back to sleep for a couple more hours. When she woke up again, her vision was impaired by a face staring intently at her. She blinked, trying to see around the person who was only about an inch away. A katana eased it's way in between them and pushed back the face so close to hers. Gradually, she was able to focus on the person behind the face.

"Good morning, Luffy," Magina said, smiling at him. She threw Zoro a grateful look.

Luffy grinned. "You're okay now, Magina."

Sanji was there too, ready and waiting to serve her some restorative hot soup. She greedily ate it as the rest of the crew gathered for breakfast. They laughed and joked; even Chopper looked more at ease. Now that Magina was awake, the atmosphere was no longer subdued.

It was another day before Chopper would let her get up. Magina woke very early that morning. She listened to the songs that she could hear on the ship. Everyone was sleeping; everybody but one person. She climbed out of bed and headed toward the deck. Vivi was glancing across the sea, a worried expression on her face. Magina cleared her throat and moved to stand next to her by the railing. Vivi turned to see who it was and then plastered a smile on her face.

"How are you feeling, Magina-san?" she asked.

"Recovering," Magina said calmly. "And you, Vivi? How are you really doing? You're very concerned and more anxious the closer we sail to Arabasta."

Vivi looked startled at first and then looked at the railing. "I thought I was hiding it better than that."

"I am half-siren and even if you haven't been sailing with us for very long, I would have to be deaf not to hear the worry in your song."

The velvety black voice sang clearly in the background. A strong pain in her stomach nearly drove her to her knees. Magina gripped the railing feebly. That voice; the strong one…what was he doing to her? She finally remembered to breathe as he abruptly halted.

"Magina? Are you sure you're alright?" Vivi asked, the concern radiating from her.

"I think…I'll go lie back down. I'm fine, I really am. Don't worry, Vivi," Magina smiled weakly before walking to the galley.

Was that mysterious voice trying to destroy her body or her will…or both together? She didn't know how much longer she could hold on. All she knew was that she had to try.

~ . . . ~

Zoro snarled underneath his breath. They had a fight. Zoro paused in his thinking to clarify. He started the fight and he ended it. All the while Magina just stood there-taking it. She didn't even try to fight back. She gave him a heart-broken look and with tears in her eyes listened as he tried to effectively end whatever it was between them. Zoro closed his eyes and tried to shut out Magina's quiet weeping on the deck. Even with the ear plugs in, he couldn't. He clenched his fists. At least if she had fought back, he wouldn't feel so damn guilty. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get her expression out of his mind. And why could he still hear her crying?

. . .

Magina clutched the railing and finally let her tears slip. She didn't make a sound; she refused to let anyone see her like this. Why did Zoro say those things to her? She knew what he was talking about, knew the way they both felt for each other. Her mind wandered back to that first kiss and Magina knew she depended on Zoro's steady strength. She hadn't demanded that he acknowledge those feelings though. She wasn't about to force herself on him. Zoro was a warrior and wouldn't appreciate being in love. Magina knew that, understood that even. That's the reason she wasn't insisting that he spend more time with her. Zoro was the one who wanted to train. So, why was he trying to avoid her now? Well, fine. If he was going to ignore her, she was going to ignore him too.

. . .

General Kigen listened to the girl's song. It was several months since he started this mission and he was eager to return. She was sad tonight- the bushido's words had cut deep. He smiled. The time was drawing very near. He knew where they were and how close they were to an island. They would land. The captain was too curious not to stop and explore. Kigen smiled as he looked at his twenty-five song soldiers.

"Men, tomorrow we attack. Take the long boats and row to the island. We'll ambush them there," he said, loud enough to carry across the ship.

There were a few scattered cheers, though most were focused on the fact that they were finally going into action. They hurriedly started loading up the long boats and lowering them into the water. Soon, they were on their way through the mists. Kigen spent the rest of the night discussing strategies with his men.

"They wear some sort of ear plugs to block out the girl's voice so it will be full combat. They are strong, kill if the opportunity arises. I will retrieve the girl. Even if she has grown stronger, she is no match for me. Once I give the signal, break off the attack and make your way back here. We'll set sail for home immediately. We only have a few hours before dawn," Kigen said with a feral grin.

The men hurried to complete their tasks. Kigen acquainted himself with the songs of his soldiers one last time. If they fell, he would be the first to know. He was so close.

. . .

So close. She was close, Magina thought, sweating as she did another push-up. She needed to do something, _anything_ to get Zoro's words out of her head. She was close to breaking 10,000. Her training with Zoro had made her strong and it kept her mind off of the song. It was like a headache that never went away. It'd fade in the background for a while but it never stopped.

"9,993...9,994...9,995...9,996...9,997..." Magina murmured underneath her breath, concentrating. Her arms were trembling, she reached the end of her limits. She grunted but continued anyways. She went too far not to complete it now.

"9,998...9,999...10,000..."she finished with a gasp. She couldn't take it anymore and she collapsed.

Beyond concentrating on her ragged breathing, Magina thought back on what happened in the last couple of hours. What was Zoro really upset about? It was sometime after the fight with Crocodile when she noticed his attitude changing. She wasn't fragile. Magina was a young, capable siren. Was it her? Was it him?

She closed her eyes as the wind swept over her exhausted body. The cool breeze felt wonderful and she savored it for a moment before opening her eyes. It was nearly dawn, she listened to her fish instincts. Over the months sailing on the Grand Line, Magina was better at determining where the fish were. She took out her fishing pole and flung the hook into the water. This morning, the fish didn't want to bite. Magina frowned. She stopped when the basket was only half full. There was no sense wasting time or energy when the fish weren't biting. She heard the smooth, sultry song of one of her nakama.

Magina smiled and said, "Good morning, Sanji," without even turning around.

"Fishing this morning, Magina-san?" he asked, striding next to her.

She turned and held out the basket. The crew finally got used to how she could tell who approached her without Magina seeing them. She grimaced slightly.

"I'm afraid the fish aren't biting this morning."

"Thank you, Magina-san. Don't worry about it. Nami-swan said that we're getting close to an island. We should be able to find more supplies there," Sanji reassured, taking her half-filled basked and walking to the kitchen.

Magina frowned again. There was an island nearby? She looked out over the railing. She could see it in the distance. She shivered. There was something about that island that she didn't like. Magina didn't understand why. It didn't look any different than the other countless islands that they visited so far. It just felt more menacing than the others. Magina tried to shrug it off as leftover sentiments of what Zoro said. The Straw Hat Pirates were fast becoming a force to be reckoned with. What could possibly go wrong?

. . .

Zoro felt as uncomfortable as Magina looked. He couldn't tell if it was because they were ignoring each other or if it was something else. Maybe it was because sleep eluded him last night. He couldn't stop hearing Magina cry. He went to check on her from a distance and found her doing push-ups. Zoro was baffled. He could still hear her crying even though no tears wet her face. He watched her reach 10,000, the goal he set for her. Then he left; still debating, still thinking. Zoro tried to sleep then and once again failed miserably.

"Damn," he muttered under his breath.

Everybody began getting ready for the day. Zoro sighed and followed suit. He wasn't ready to face a complete day of ignoring Magina. He squared his jaw and headed to the galley. She was eating. Not ferociously but fast enough not to allow Luffy to snatch food off her plate. He sat down and not next to her like he usually did. Zoro felt her pause but it didn't last long. He glanced up and thought he heard a broken sob. He knew it was Magina but she was frozen in her seat and hadn't made a sound. Why was he hearing this? Zoro ate slowly, not even noticing that Luffy was snatching pieces off his plate. Abruptly, Magina stood up. She gave everyone a brief smile and headed towards the deck. Luffy swiped off the rest of the food she left on her plate before anyone else could snatch it. Robin finished her coffee, put her cup in the sink and followed Magina. A funny feeling settled in Zoro's stomach. Something was wrong, he just didn't know what it was.

_I was so excited to post this chapter that I almost forgot to add the Legal paragraph at the top. Lol. And I posted last night first before realizing that the new One Piece episode doesn't come out until next Saturday. Anyways, this chapter basically begins the last 'arc' of the story. Not trying to scare anyone (believe me, there are plenty of pages left!) but I thought it would be nice to warn you. This chapter also skipped quite a bit of the One Piece Story line., the Arabasta and Skypia arcs in particular. I always thought that I'd go back and write something for those arcs but I guess some things aren't meant to be. Anyways, I'd like to thank Shoulda Been Grace this time around. And of course, thanks to everyone for reading this story. Review if you would like. Look forward to the next chapter!_

_Bushido: Literally translated: The Way of the Warrior. In this story, mostly used as just 'warrior'. _


	11. Captured!

_Legal stuff: All original characters, plot and settings in One Piece belong to Eiichiro Oda. I did not receive payment of any kind or amount for writing this story. Enjoy chapter 11!_

"Miss Siren? Are you alright?" Magina heard Robin ask her.

She looked out across the sea. "Yes, Robin. I'm fine, thank you."

Magina closed her eyes, wishing with all her heart that it was true. She wasn't sure she could really pretend that everything was alright. In the middle of her thought, Magina heard it. Every siren from that island joined in the song. She gasped and ran to the other side of the deck.

"All of them…they're calling me, Robin…help! I-I can't resist this time," she gasped, heading towards the sea.

"Mr. Captain!" Robin shouted for Luffy.

Hands sprouted over Magina's body but she barely noticed them. The compulsion to leave was too great, nothing could make her stay now. She was wild with need to depart from the ship. She bit one of the hands and they all disappeared. A tall man stepped in front of her. She lifted him out of the way and tossed him into the sea. No one was going to stop her.

. . .

Zoro heard Robin's call and immediately jumped out of his seat. They all ran out of the galley. At first, they couldn't believe what they saw. Robin was struggling to keep Magina from exiting Merry. They quickly joined in to stop Magina. When Robin couldn't hold her anymore, Sanji stepped in her way. No one expected Magina to pick him up and throw him overboard.

'_Not even Luffy would be able to stop me if I ever got to that point."_ Magina's words came rushing back to Zoro that instant. Luffy grabbed her and twisted himself and Magina around the mast of the ship. Magina's struggles caused the mast to groan loudly. She screamed in fury and defiance as she strained against Luffy.

"Can you hold her, Luffy?" Zoro asked as Sanji climbed back on board.

Luffy grinned. "She's gotten strong. I can hold her though."

"What happened, Robin?" Nami asked.

"Miss Siren said that they were all summoning her and she wouldn't be able to resist. Who are they?"

"We don't know. We think they are sirens that want her to come to them. They sing to her every night in attempt to make her leave us. She's resisted them up until now," Zoro replied. Suddenly, Magina's writhing ceased and she sagged against Luffy, gasping heavily.

. . .

Magina knew when she was back in control. She strained against Luffy and they were both twined around the mast. Her legs collapsed from underneath her.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she rasped, her voice stuck in her throat. "I wasn't expecting that."

Magina felt Luffy unwrap himself from the mast. He picked her up and carried her back to the galley, gently placing her on the bed.

"Don't worry, Magina. We won't let them take you from us," Luffy said with a determined look on his face.

Feeling the sincerity in his song reassured her and she allowed herself to fall asleep. After all, they were coming up to a new island. Magina frowned slightly before drifting off. Why did she still have an uneasy feeling?

. . .

Luffy walked out of the galley; angry that he couldn't kick the asses of these guys right now. Magina didn't want to go. She was fighting so hard to stay. They were hurting her and anyone who hurt his nakama had to pay. After they restocked, they'd go to that island and kick everybody's ass. Then, Magina could be happy again.

"We're taking the fight to them," Luffy looked at everybody. No one argued. Finally, they were going to do something about this.

. . .

Magina woke up a couple of hours later. She got up, stretching as she went. Her headache was almost gone. She sighed, a depression that she hadn't experienced since joining Luffy's crew settling over her.

Luffy, Chopper and Usopp went ahead exploring this strange island. Everything was elongated- stretched out to unexplainable lengths. Magina shook her head. It certainly was an odd sort of place. The island was hilly and they lost sight of the others quickly. Magina shuddered briefly. Something about this island made her skin crawl. The other Straw Hats enjoyed a few minutes of peace before everything erupted in chaos. Several men rushed them from all sides. Magina began to sing but a stronger voice cut in. It wasn't the voice; but it was nearly as compelling. At this distance, Magina didn't stand a chance. She stayed as long as she could; clenching her fists to her sides, absolutely forcing herself to remain where she was. Still, she began walking away. Magina glanced back desperately, the panic that assailed her making her mouth dry.

"Zoro," she whispered before she left the clearing.

. . .

Zoro was having problems. Whoever these people were, they were strong. He glanced around. Sanji and Robin weren't faring much better than him. Nami was being protected by Sanji, and Magina… Magina was missing! Zoro finally understood what this was, a distraction. _They_ finally came for her and they took her. Zoro fought harder, while also fighting the nagging sensation that this was partially his fault. Just as quickly as they came; they melted into the background. Sanji and Robin managed to restrain one but they struggled to hold him. Zoro walked over and pointed a katana at the man's throat. He stopped struggling and grinned.

"Kill me if you like; you'll never find her," he remarked, a cold glint in his eye.

Zoro gripped the katana tighter, almost driving it through the man's neck. He controlled the urge in time. Luffy had to know about this. They secured the man on their ship and gagged him. Then, they waited for Luffy to return. A strange ship landed nearby and looked about to attack. Someone came out and started talking about a Davy Back Game. Zoro smiled grimly. Surely Luffy wouldn't be so stupid as to… A gunshot exploded in the air and a second followed close after.

Nami smacked her head and muttered, "Baka," to herself.

"The captains have decided! Set up for the Davy Back Fight!" the shout echoed throughout the other ship.

Booths, food carts, and wares stalls were quickly assembled. It looked like a carnival. Luffy and the others were coming back. Nami came over and smacked Luffy in the head.

"What was that for?" Luffy asked confused.

"Why did you accept, Luffy?" Nami demanded, her fists clenched angrily.

"Oi, where's Magina?" he wondered, looking around.

"She walked away. We were attacked. _They_ came for her," Zoro replied curtly.

"She's still on the island, right? Let's just get her quick," Luffy said, looking about to run and check.

"No, Luffy," Zoro growled. "She's not on the island anymore. They took her and we can't get her back until after the Davy Back Fight!"

"Then, we only have to win," Luffy said. "We're getting Magina back and we're going to kick their ass!"

Even if he looked calm and he spoke with confidence; Zoro heard the anger in Luffy's voice. Luffy recognized it too. The pain Magina suffered as each half warred against the other. Zoro nodded at Luffy in understanding. They wouldn't abandon her to her agony. As Luffy said, all they had to do was win. How hard could it be?

. . .

Magina stood in front of a man she couldn't identify. His hair, black with graying streaks, was kept short and his clothes suggested a military background. He stopped singing. Magina wanted to run but her body couldn't move yet.

He shook his head and said, "You look exactly like your mother, except for the eyes. Now, my child…" and he sang again.

Magina struggled against the familiar song that her mother used to sing but it was no use. She felt the darkness surround her as sleep overcame her senses. The words rolled off of her as she dropped to the ground.

"Sleep well

Dreams swell

As you drift away

Falling deep

Into sleep

Now ends another day

Bells chime

As time

Slowly floats at sea

Peace keep

Sink deep

As only sleep can be."

She was falling. Magina's mind screamed her frustration and wept. She was captured and her nakama wouldn't find her.

_Zoro!_ she cried as she lost all conscious thought.

. . .

Kigen was surprised at the girl's determination to resist. Her song was saturated with fury and despair. He frowned slightly. Such emotions were unusual; didn't she want to come home? Kigen had a stab of doubt about his mission. This wasn't right. If she was happy with the pirates, what right did he have to take her from them? If it hadn't been the King's orders, then he would just leave her on the sand, resting. But orders were orders. Kigen gave the signal for the men to return. It was time to go home. The girl would change her mind once she got there.

. . .

They won the Davy Back Fight…barely. Luffy was recuperating from the Captains' Battle and they were on the sea again with no idea where they were going. Nami couldn't use the Log Pose since it was set to a different island. The siren they captured refused to help them. The only thing they could rely on was as crazy as it sounded… Zoro's sense of direction. There were a few problems with this solution. First, the ship that took Magina was still sailing so the Straw Hats had to change direction drastically almost every hour. The second problem: the signal flickered in and out, causing Zoro to lose Magina on occasion. The last problem was that Zoro wasn't able to tell them what was between the Going Merry and Magina. Sometimes there were whole islands…or whirlpools…or leviathans in the way. There was no telling what would literally hit them next. Nami wanted to stop on one of the islands and wait until Magina stopped sailing but no one wanted the Log Pose to adapt to a new island.

Zoro was in a bad mood. He hadn't realized that he would miss Magina this much. The only thing that cheered him up was the captured siren. Right now, he was gagged and tied to the mast. Whenever they lost their way or ran into trouble, the siren always looked smug. Today, the siren looked confused as well as worried. Maybe he wanted to talk. Zoro took out a katana and pointed it at the siren's throat as he pulled down the gag.

The siren didn't waste much time. "How do you know which way to go? No human has ever been to S…the siren's island."

Zoro shook his head. As he didn't understand it himself, how was he going to explain it? Besides, he didn't think he'd tell an enemy even if he did know.

The young siren sighed, "Fine. But why? Why is this one girl so important?"

Someone walked up behind them. Zoro turned to see Luffy there. He turned back to the siren.

"Once our captain has named someone nakama, he'll die for them. His eccentricities have rubbed off on all of us, I'm afraid. She's nakama. We have no other choice but to rescue her before you people hurt her more. Right, Luffy?" Zoro asked quietly.

"Aye," was the reply. The siren paled, recognizing the reigned in anger they both held in check.

"We're not hurting her. We're just bringing her home," the siren insisted.

"Don't tell me that you can't hear her song from here," Zoro demanded. "Can't you hear her weeping? She doesn't want to be there. You didn't see what summoning her was doing to Magina."

"It only hurts when you resist. Why did she resist so much?" the siren retorted back.

"Because this is her home," Luffy said quietly. "This is where she's happiest. Why hurt her and make her leave her home?"

The siren had no answer for that, no quick remark. He frowned instead, thinking about the answers. Luffy made a move to gag the siren again. Instead of fighting back like usual; the siren just let Luffy gag him. Zoro looked out across the sea. _Hold on, Magina. Just a little bit longer. We're coming._

_I don't have any really special notes for this chapter lol. It was a little shorter than usual but that just means that you get a chapter sooner, right? Anyways, I'll be working on editing chapter 12 tomorrow. Thanks to everyone for reading! Look forward to more excitement in the next chapter lol. _


	12. Unexpected Ally

_Legal things: All original plot, characters and settings belong to Eiichiro Oda. I only own sirens and fishermen. I did not receive payment in any way, shape or form for writing this story. That being said, on to the good stuff. Enjoy Chapter 12!_

Magina stared across the water longingly. As unbelievable as it seemed; she felt Zoro across that great expanse of sea. She buried any hope that she had about being rescued. The enemy shouldn't know everything just by listening to her song. Magina glanced around- taking in her surroundings. She was in a cabin room. It was furnished with the best- purple silk curtains, a red broche covered bed and a nightstand made entirely out of gold.

Magina sighed and looked out to sea again. She didn't belong here in this fancy room. She was a fisherman and they didn't care much for fine living quarters. Fishermen didn't know what to do with expensive belongings. Why would they give her this room? Her depression settled on her like the steel anchor.

The door opened and the man in charge walked in. He strode into the room with the same military air that she recognized before. Magina turned away. Every time she saw him, she wanted to burst into tears. The reality that she was a prisoner never was as real as when he was in the room.

"Come, child. It is not as bad as you're making it out to be. You're going home," he said soothingly behind her.

"No," Magina heard her voice crack. "I was home and you took me away from it."

"Home? That little flea-infested plank of wood was your home? Is a home where the crew makes you cry? Come now, little one. That is no home," the man argued.

"It was where I was happiest. Since you seem to know so much, tell me; how am I doing now? Can't you hear my song crying? _This_ is not where I belong," Magina disputed as she gestured around the room.

"Perhaps, but you will become accustomed to it," he answered, sitting stiffly in the chair across from her.

A cold weight settled in Magina's stomach. "What do you mean?" she asked quietly.

"My name is General Kigen. I'm the leader of Sudo-sama's troops. I was sent to bring you back so that you could marry Sudo-sama," General said.

"What?" she whispered, stricken by a fear she could not name. No, it couldn't possibly be true. What about Zoro? Magina looked up, panicked, hoping to see something else other than the cold truth.

"No," she said, her mouth suddenly dry.

Kigen raised his eyebrow. "You can't refuse. Sudo-sama is king; his word is law."

"No, you don't understand. What about…" she started to say. Kigen's eyes were sad.

"Unfortunately, as you are already linked with that _human_, we will have to break it. I wish there was a less painful way but the king's word is law."

Magina gazed out at the sea, her body trembling. Her mother had warned her about the danger of linking. She didn't know that she linked with Zoro. She suspected it, but hadn't known for sure.

"How did you know my mother?" she asked suddenly. General Kigen must have known her mother. How else did he know the lullaby that was sung to her as a child? There must be a connection somehow. Maybe talking about her mother could distract Magina from the absolute terror that threatened to overwhelm her.

. . .

Kigen wasn't ready for the question. He looked up startled. She was still looking at the sea. In that instant, Kigen allowed himself to remember the girl's mother. She used to stare out at the sea too. A lump caught in his throat but he swallowed it down.

"She was to become the King's bride twenty years ago. Those were the days before the Guardian. Human merchants sometimes came to our island; giving us news, songs and goods. Your mother met one and linked with him. They were best friends. I warned her to leave him be but she refused my sage advice. Sudo-sama found out and killed the young man. Your mother stole away off one of the merchant's ships and left. Sudo-sama was furious. He banned all human communications and called the Guardian to keep away human intruders. Your friends have no chance of making it to Song Island. The Guardian will kill them even before they land," Kigen said pragmatically.

The girl's shoulders drooped and he caught the sound of keening. He frowned again. Why wasn't she happy? She was treated like a princess. Why did she have to be so much like her mother? It was uncanny. They even mourned the same way. Kigen stood abruptly.

"I will send in food," he said. She said nothing, still looking at the sea with the same crying in her heart.

. . .

Zoro gripped the railing tightly. The siren no longer tried to attack or hinder them anymore. Luffy decided a week ago to untie him and let him walk around the ship. He hadn't helped them yet. The thought seemed to torture the siren because he wore a perpetual frown. He came up behind him and looked in the same direction that Zoro faced.

"My name is Gash," he said, staring across the water.

Zoro looked startled. "I thought you had no name."

"As a song soldier, I have no name. That's my civilian name," Gash answered glancing at him. Zoro nodded and looked back over the sea.

"You're linked to her, aren't you? To the girl?" Gash asked.

"I don't know. Is that what you call it? Is that why I can hear her crying?" Zoro asked through clenched teeth.

"Yes," Gash frowned.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Gash sighed.

"They'll take her directly to Song Island then. King Sudo will want to break the link before marrying her. We have to hurry if you want to save her," Gash said, fingering something in his pocket.

"What do you mean, break the link?" Zoro asked. It certainly didn't sound good.

Gash stared out at the sea. "It's dangerous. My… my father was broken. He and my mother were linked. She died years earlier, maybe when I was nine or ten. Grief changed him but though death parted them, my father was still linked to her. The King decreed that to serve as a song soldier, all links must be broken. It took two weeks. He couldn't or wouldn't let go of his link to her. The screams…." Gash closed his eyes in silent pain.

"When he was finally returned to us; he was a broken man. It was like they broke his soul. He no longer smiled, talked, or ate. He died a few weeks later, nothing more than a shadow. He didn't even recognize us anymore. His song was already gone before his body went."

"What does that mean for Magina?" Zoro demanded.

"If she resists, her soul will be ripped away from her and she will die. If they succeed in breaking the link; she will be ready to marry the King and she won't remember any of you. Either way, she won't be the same person you once knew."

Zoro's eyes widened. If they didn't hurry, they'd lose Magina forever. He clutched at the railing, an anger and a desperation that shook him to his very core overwhelming him. Gash recoiled as if feeling Zoro's intense emotions but yanked himself back to the railing when Zoro glared at him.

Gash sighed again. "I want to help. Even being your captive for these past few weeks; I can tell that she's very important to you. If this is where she wants to be, then no one should force her to stay at Song Island," Gash reached into his pocket and pulled out an Eternal Pose. "This will lead you there." He handed it to Zoro and started to walk away.

Zoro gripped the Eternal Pose for a second and then turned around. "Gash," he said. Gash paused and turned around to look inquiringly at him.

Zoro's grin was feral. "Train me. I've lost my touch since she's been gone. We'll need that edge when we rescue her," he tossed the Eternal Pose back to Gash. "Nami's going to need that," he continued, taking out his ear plugs.

Gash gazed at him and grinned. He ran to give it to Nami, who immediately put Luffy and Usopp to work. He returned and Zoro once again began singing training. By the time they finished their first session, they were both sweating and breathing heavily. Zoro resisted everything Gash threw at him. Still, it left him drained. He was right about one thing; as long as Magina didn't sing to him, he didn't have any trouble. Zoro stared across the water. They were getting closer; he was sure of it.

. . .

Magina glanced up wearily. This was her third session with the king's sirens that were attempting to break the link between her and Zoro. The lead siren walked in front of her, rubbing his forehead and sighing.

"Look, girl. There is no point to holding on to the link. They're not coming for you. Even if they did, the Guardian will kill them," he motioned for the sirens to begin again.

"Now, give it up and we can stop this torture."

Magina growled at them. "No," she said through clenched teeth.

The lead siren's arm fell, giving the other sirens the signal they were waiting for. Magina screamed. She struggled against the song. Zoro's face swum in the darkening black as she nearly gave in to unconsciousness. She opened blurry eyes. She wasn't giving in, not now. She was her own person. No one was going to tell her who she could love or where she should live. The sirens sang with more force and Magina screamed again. Just as she was about to pass out, there was an order to stop. She was dimly aware of someone carrying her out of the room. She finally slept.

. . .

Kigen carefully placed Magina on the bed. His brows furrowed, his worry eating away at him. _Why?_ he thought to himself. _Why would she put herself through this agony? Just for a human bushido… it just doesn't make sense._ He buried his head in his hands. Here was another whom he couldn't help. If only she listened to him. If she just stopped resisting, there would be no more pain. Her link to the bushido would be destroyed and she might lose her memory of the pirates but she wouldn't risk that.

Kigen shuddered convulsively. He saw it once, but once was enough. In all the other cases when they were ordered to break a link, they succeeded eventually. It was only a matter of time. But that one man; he resisted, even the King himself couldn't break the link. Something went wrong when the King tried to break the link. The screams…Kigen didn't know screams like that could come from a living being. By the time that the King was done; the man was like the living dead. He no longer answered by name, nor did he take any interest in food or drink. It was like the heart, the soul had been taken away from him. Kigen took the man back to his family but he eventually died.

Kigen leaned back in the chair, watching her rest. He debated talking to Sudo about this but was positive that it wouldn't do any good. Sudo was determined to have her and only her as his wife. Why he was going through such lengths for a half-siren already linked to a human confused Kigen. He didn't know how to help this girl. Talking to the King would only invite trouble and talking to her was pointless. If she knew the truth about her family, maybe he could convince her.

"No! Zoro, Luffy! Please. Please find me," she mumbled as she thrashed in her sleep.

Kigen put a cooling hand on her forehead. She was slightly feverish. He covered her with a blanket and left the room so she could rest. He looked up as he closed the door. He thought he heard something. One of the songs from his soldiers, one that he hadn't felt in weeks. Kigen rushed to the watch tower. It was impossible.

. . .

Magina ran through a black mist of pain. She tried to reach the others but they were always just out of reach. She stopped; gasping for breath. She was too weak, always too weak. She was lost and the dark fog didn't help.

"No! Zoro! Luffy? Please don't leave me here," Magina whimpered.

The black mists began to recede and a humongous hand swept over her, picking her up. A giant Sudo face appeared in front of her.

"You're mine now. You'll never be free!" Sudo crowed, a sneer on his face.

Magina woke up sweating. Dreams weren't prophetic. Her nakama were going to rescue her. She still worried though. Magina couldn't remember her nakama's faces anymore. Everyone was blurry in her mind. She only had vague details. Luffy always wore a straw hat. Sanji had curly eyebrows and long legs. Usopp had a long nose. Nami had red hair and really loved money. Chopper had a pink hat and a blue nose. And Robin had straight black hair, usually underneath a cowboy hat. Zoro's was the only face she remembered clearly.

Magina frowned. Would she recognize her nakama when they arrived? There was no doubt that they were coming. Even if they were attempting to break her link with Zoro, she could still feel him. He was getting close. Magina rubbed her eyes wearily. She had to sleep. She knew that she was more susceptible to the sirens' suggestions because she was so tired. She sighed and lay back down. It didn't help that every couple of hours she was woken up. Magina slipped into an uneasy sleep. How much longer could she last?

. . .

Kigen had enough. The loyalty this girl and her crew had for each other was astounding. Loyalties like that should not be forced to change for anyone's whim; even if it was for a king. It took him this long to realize it, but King Sudo was wrong. The girl and the bushido were linked for a reason. What right did they have to break that link? Kigen waited outside the conference room. King Sudo summoned him here. He furrowed his brow. The king wasn't stupid; he'd notice what Kigen was feeling. He sighed. Something was wrong, the King wouldn't make him wait this long. He took in a calming breath. What reason did he have to be nervous? Sudo was his king after all. The door opened and the head adviser left, pale and shaking even more than usual. Kigen frowned.

"H-His Majesty requests your presence, General Kigen," he mumbled.

Kigen nodded brusquely and strode into the king's chamber.

"Your Majesty," he said bowing deep.

"No need to stand on formality, General. The matter I want to discuss is familial in nature. Your granddaughter has been decidedly stubborn. Seeing as we know from experience how people react to me breaking them; I do not want to accept that possibility," the King said, twirling a cup of wine and sniffing it delicately.

Kigen's heart pounded nervously. How did Sudo know that the girl was his granddaughter? "If we had more time…" he started to say.

"You're blunt and to the point. We've run out of time. They're here and they've gotten past Guardian. They'll be here in an hour or two," King Sudo interrupted, a slight sneer on his face.

"But that's…" Kigen stuttered.

"Impossible? Inconceivable? Apparently not. So, I'm moving forward with my plans. She will kill the intruders. Then, her link will be broken and she will be, at last, worthy of my hand. I want you to bring her to me so that I can begin," the King finished curtly.

"How are you going to convince her to kill her nakama? They are family to her; she would never attack them on her own," Kigen protested.

"She will see who I want her to see and she will attack because I will tell her that they are her enemies," Sudo said, serious and cold.

"That is the one song that must never be sung, no matter what the purpose. You know this; it is immoral and illegal! You can't do this!" Kigen shouted, angry with himself for ever believing such a rotten king.

"Your song betrays you, General. Guards! Seize the traitor and bring the girl!"

"No!" Kigen yelled, taking his sword out of his sheath.

A dozen guards stormed into the room. He growled and attacked. They wouldn't be able to defeat him, no matter how many they sent. His first attack was blocked but as he ducked, he swung his sword around and caught two of the oncoming guards. They staggered and fell to the floor. Kigen turned and let his sword pierce another guard. He quickly dispatched most of the men in the room.

When there were only three soldiers left, Kigen was ready to warn the gi…his granddaughter. He wasn't about to let the King force her into this marriage or this life, especially not by those means. No matter what the circumstances, there was no reason that made the singing of that particular song acceptable. He had to warn her before it was too… A fiery ribbon of pain sliced through his side and cut deep, interrupting his thought. General looked down, positive that the shock and pain registered on his face. The point of a sword, bloodied, was sticking straight through his left side.

"I apologize, General, for all the pain and misery that you have suffered these past few weeks," Sudo said softly, for his ears only. Sudo put his hand on General's shoulder and twisted the sword. General grunted as fresh agony assailed him.

"But my friend, she will be my bride. You, those ragtag pirates, and the laws of this land won't stand in my way," Sudo whispered in his ear as he roughly pulled out the sword.

Kigen sagged to the floor, clutching his side weakly. The king missed any vital organs but he was losing too much blood to do more to aid his granddaughter. He clenched his fist at his own helplessness.

"Lock him in here. Bring the girl to the chamber," Sudo snapped at the remaining guards.

The guards rushed to do the king's bidding. The doors slammed shut and he was left alone. Kigen struggled to his feet. Swaying, he glanced around for material. He needed to bind the wound before it bled too much. He picked up his sword. These guards of Sudo's were careless. He needed to get to the pirates before she did. There was no telling what she would do to them if Sudo completed his plan. He limped to the curtains and cut through one. The General quickly cut it to an appropriate length and tied it tightly around his waist. He grunted as he tied it tighter. It would bleed through before long but it would slow the bleeding somewhat. He opened one of the windows and climbed out. Now, to find the pirates.

_I hope you enjoyed chapter 12! Chapter 13 is coming as soon as I'm done editing it. Review if you wish! It's always fun to read your comments and thoughts on the story and I appreciate the feedback too. Anyways, I don't have much else to say except thanks and it shouldn't take long for Chapter 13 lol. _


	13. To Steal a Memory

_Notices: All original characters, plot and setting belongs to Eiichiro Oda. I can only claim sirens and fishermen. I didn't receive payment of any kind to write this story. Please enjoy chapter 13!_

Zoro was impatient. The link, as Gash called it, was beginning to hurt. Luffy was mad that whatever was hurting Magina was hurting him too. He wanted pay back.

Zoro was fine with that. It took him the weeks spent looking for Song Island to finally realize it. He loved Magina and she loved him too. The only thing that bothered him was if she'd let him apologize. He acted like such a baka. Gash walked up behind him. Zoro glanced his way. Gash gazed intently at a small speck that slowly increased in size.

"We're almost there," Gash said, shielding his eyes from the glare.

"Good," Zoro growled, gripping the hilt of the white katana tightly.

"The Guardian might attack," he continued, listening for something.

"If this Guardian slows us down…" Zoro trailed off angrily, unable to come up with a suitable threat.

"I'll take care of it. She won't bother the ship," Gash replied quickly and headed towards the lookout.

"Just keep on course," he shouted down as he climbed to the top.

The ship shook and rocked. A shuddering hiss punctured the air. The largest snake Zoro had ever seen burst out of the sea. She wrapped herself around the Going Merry, her scales shimmering in the sun.

"Guardian! There is a siren aboard! Do not attack!" Gash yelled at the top of his lungs.

The Guardian paused and unwound herself from the ship, allowing them passage. They ate a quiet lunch as they sailed the last few hours to Song Island. They sailed to shore. They were finally here! They landed and jumped off board. It was time to rescue Magina.

. . .

Magina revolved the twin trident daggers in her hands. Practicing really helped to relax her. It wasn't enough to make her sleep peacefully but it did help tone her muscles. Wouldn't her nakama be surprised at her new strength? Magina smiled thinking about the crew. She heard Zoro's song getting stronger every day. She just needed to hold on a little bit longer. Her blades instructor bowed abruptly.

"Your skills with our trident daggers are the greatest I have seen for some time. In these past weeks, you have become a Master. I hope that these will serve you well," the blades Master said, unwrapping a velvet cloth.

Magina marveled at the beauty, at the craftsmanship. "They're beautiful. Thank you, Master. I'll cherish them forever," she replied, bowing politely in response.

The master nodded and asked her to wait. Magina looked at the daggers still half-shrouded in the velvet. The designs were absolutely breath-taking. On each dagger, matching dragons burst out of the sea; throwing a trail of fire out into the sky. Words were etched into the flames. The one dagger said: 'When strength becomes weakness,' while the other said: 'True strength lies within.' Magina pondered this for a while. She'd have to remember that…Her thoughts were interrupted as someone came into the room. She spun around, ready to attack with her new trident daggers. It was Sudo. She growled.

"Leave me alone," she said, clenching her teeth and tightening her grip on the daggers.

"That's hardly possible, my bride-to-be. There is something that needs doing and only you are capable for the task I have in mind," he replied, keeping his voice low and even.

"Why would I do anything for you?" Magina asked caustically.

"Because you'll have no choice," Sudo murmured underneath his breath just before he started to sing:

"Forget yourself, lose yourself

Your will is now my own

See what I wish you to

Hear what I want you to

Speak what I need you to

And lose yourself to me

Surrender your will to me."

Magina clenched her fists. She struggled and fought as hard as she could against Sudo's words. Her legs buckled from underneath her. She wrestled against the blankness that started to cloud her mind.

"Why are you resisting? It'll only cause you more pain," a soft, deep voice muttered in her ear.

Magina closed her eyes tightly. A thought of Luffy, wearing his straw hat, laughing and demanding more meat flashed through her mind. Everyone laughing at one of Usopp's tales while sitting around a campfire. Training with Zoro every night because he knew she wasn't able to resist alone. Zoro…

Magina shakily stood up. "No. My memories; my will is my own. You can't take them from me."

"It's cute how you think you're going to defy me," was all Sudo said before singing the song again.

Magina fought it off for the second time but it was getting harder to concentrate. A strange mist obscured her vision. He sang again. Magina knew she had to resist it but why was she struggling so hard? She was so enveloped by fog that by the fourth time the song sang through her, she already lost. A soft voice whispered in her ear.

"My dear little fisherman. You're at your village…" the voice was saying. Her village? Yes, she remembered her village… The voice spoke again.

"There are a group of pirates coming. They'll destroy the village if you don't stop them…"the voice continued. Pirates! Magina clenched her twin trident daggers. Well, they wouldn't get very far with her around!

"Kill them. Don't let any of them escape," the voice ordered.

"Where are they?" she asked, heading towards the door.

"East, by the docks. Don't forget to kill them all," the voice finished as she went out the door and headed east.

A ship landed and several people jumped off, immediately heading up the hill. Magina looked at the flag. A skull and crossbones with a straw hat grinned back at her. Something tugged at her memory but she pushed it back. The voice was right. There were pirates here and they were bound to make trouble. _Kill them_. Magina hid her daggers in her sleeves. They'd never see this coming.

. . .

Zoro waded through the shallow water while taking out his katana. Something wasn't right. What was this feeling?

"Oi! Magina! There you are!" Luffy yelled enthusiastically as he ran up to greet her.

"Luffy, no! Wait…" Gash started to say.

Before Gash finished his warning, something glinted in the morning sun in Magina's hands. She moved so fast that even if Zoro was paying attention; he might not have caught the movement. Luffy jumped back just in time to avoid being slashed. Even so, some of his shirt ripped.

"Magina? What's wrong? Come on, we should go back to the ship before more sirens get here," Luffy said, clearly confused as he scratched his head.

"I'm not going anywhere with you, pirate. How do you know that name?" Magina replied coldly.

"Gash?" Nami asked quietly. "Were we too late?"

The link wasn't destroyed because Zoro still felt it. Gash looked as baffled as Zoro was.

"We got here in time but her song, it's twisted. I don't know what's happening," Gash replied.

"Oi, Magina, we've been sailing together since we defeated that snake-man. Did you forget?" Luffy asked, still confused.

"I would never sail with pirates. I have to protect this village," she answered, swinging her daggers lazily at Luffy.

His captain was at a complete loss. Puzzled, Luffy turned to face his crew. Magina quickly attacked Luffy's back. Luckily, Zoro was close enough and he blocked her daggers. Her eyes widened in surprise and extreme bewilderment.

"Luffy, I'll handle this," Zoro said, glancing at his captain.

"That's probably a good idea, bushido," a strained voice agreed with him.

"General Kigen!" Gash shouted gleefully at first. "You're hurt! Who did this?"

"The King did," Kigen spat angrily, coming into view.

"I apologize for my granddaughter's behavior. She is not herself. The King placed a song of absolute control on her. I was the one who took her from you in the first place. Forgive me for not seeing that your ship is her home," Kigen bowed his head and fell to his knees on the ground. Blood dripped through a stained curtain wrapping his side.

"I'm sorry that I wasn't strong enough to protect her. It's up to you to save her now," he finished saying.

Magina made a move to attack but Zoro blocked it again. Luffy's fists were clenched, his hat pulled down to cover his eyes.

"This king was Magina's real problem in the first place," he said softly, dangerously as he glanced at Kigen.

"Magina," Luffy continued as he headed towards the palace. "You might not remember, but we're nakama. Nothing is going to change that- ever. Now," and Luffy suddenly grinned, "I'm going to kick this king's ass!" With that, he charged at the palace. Zoro watched as a dazed look settled on Magina's face.

"Nakama?" she whispered.

Zoro blocked her next attack grimly. This development was going to make apologizing a hell of a lot harder than he anticipated. _Great._

. . .

Magina wanted to tear the hair out of her head. Ever since that goofy-looking kid with the straw hat and his friends appeared, she felt disoriented. Straw Hat called her nakama and she apparently knew the songs of the other pirates too. That one pirate, the one with three katana, something was unnaturally familiar about him. How was that possible?

Magina gripped the hilts of her twin daggers tighter and struck in earnest. Whoever this bushido was, he was brilliant at swordplay.

"Magina, please," the bushido said, " I don't want to hurt you." Suddenly, she was very mad.

"You already have," she pointed out in a voice that would make winter cold.

She didn't care how she knew that. It didn't matter anymore. Magina worked one blade around his defense and slashed him on his upper arm. To her greatest surprise, he didn't flinch or look the least bit shocked at her words.

"I know, Magina. I know I hurt you."

He blocked another one of her attacks. He sighed and closed his eyes briefly. She assailed him again but he managed to defend even with his eyes closed.

"Oi, shitty marimo, we're going to follow Luffy. You can handle things here, right?" a man with long legs and very curly eyebrows said as he took a drag from his cigarette.

"Damn Love Cook; I can handle it!" the swordsman growled around the katana in his mouth.

He opened his eyes and looked straight at her. Magina felt her heart pound rapidly. Why was her body reacting to him?

"It was so different without you there. Everyone on the Going Merry is used to life with Magina. We can't pretend that you never sailed with us. Luffy, Usopp and Chopper try their best to fish but they never catch anything edible. Sanji accidentally serves another plate for you at breakfast and supper. Nami and Robin say that they can't sleep because they aren't able to tell you what happened during their day before going to bed. And I, well, I…dammit! This would be so much easier if you remembered! Our training sessions were the best part of my day. None of us can do without you, Magina. We need you," he paused, "_I_ need you. Maybe you don't remember but you need us too."

Magina was speechless. She shook her head and let her arms drop. Her mind was so clouded. Why did she feel like she knew him? She looked at him again, the questions lingering in her eyes.

"Z-Zoro?" she whispered.

. . .

Zoro sighed in relief when Magina said his name. The confusion and doubt didn't leave but she remembered! He smiled.

"Yes, Magina. That's my name…" he started to say before she cut him off.

"No! Stop confusing me! You're the enemy. You can't be trusted; you're a pirate!"

"Magina…" he tried again.

"No, please! Just leave me alone," she pleaded. "I don't know you and yet…I do. How is that possible? Why can't I get your song out of my head? Why?" Magina sobbed, sinking to her knees and clutching her head.

Zoro put his katana away and took Magina's daggers out of her hands. He knelt beside her and hugged her tightly. He held her and let her cry.

"It's all right. It's all going to work out. Just wait and see, Magina," Zoro said softly as he gently stroked her hair.

Eventually, her sobs quieted and Magina was calm again. He lifted her face and wiped the tears off her cheeks. Zoro tilted her head back and kissed her.

. . .

Her eyes fluttered close. Zoro's lips settled on hers and she was lost. It wasn't like Magina really remembered who this Zoro was, but this connection…this link between them was something that couldn't be denied. He seemed to sense that as his kisses became more demanding. Magina kissed him hungrily back. She wanted to completely give in to the drugging sensation of the kiss but instinct refused to let her. Someone was coming. Soldiers, they were after Zoro! She tore herself from the embrace and stood up abruptly.

"Magina?"

She tried to turn back but her legs gave out. Magina almost expected to hit the ground but someone caught her.

"Magina!"

"Zoro…get it out," Magina grunted. Her lower shoulder burned.

"It's going to hurt," he frowned.

"I don't care. Just get it out!" she demanded through gritted teeth.

"Gash?" Zoro called.

"Coming!" was the instant reply.

_Swish!_ Magina could dimly hear a moan as a body fell a second later.

"Someone forgot to take the trash out. What do you want me to do?"

"Hold her still," Zoro said, a grim expression on his face.

Gash immediately lay across her. Her legs and her stomach were pressed into the ground. She didn't think she could move even if she tried. Zoro put one of his knees against her uninjured shoulder and got a grip on the shuriken. He glanced at her. Magina closed her eyes and clenched her teeth.

"Take a deep breath and hold it. It'll be over soon, Magina," Zoro's voice said soothingly right next to her ear.

Her body tensed as the shuriken was pulled out. "Nngh," she groaned. She arched against the restraining hands but they held her firmly in place. Magina heard the songs of more soldiers arriving. They were approaching quickly. Her eyes flew open and she strained to get up.

"Lie still," Zoro growled.

"There are…more song soldiers," Magina gasped.

Zoro stood and unsheathed his katana. "I'll handle them," he snarled dangerously.

_Well, that's it for Chapter 13! This chapter took a little longer than I expected so thanks for waiting so patiently. Many thanks to LesilleB again this time around. Of course, a big thanks goes out to everyone who is still reading this fan fic. Chapter 14 is coming soon so look forward to it lol. Review if you have the desire to. I love reading them! _

_Bushido-warrior (at least in this story that's how it's meant)_

_Marimo-moss ball or moss head, a favorite insult of Sanji's_


	14. Cruel Amusement

_The legal stuff: All original characters, plot and settings belong to Eiichiro Oda. I also didn't receive payment of any kind for writing this story. Please enjoy chapter 14!_

Luffy stormed up the stairs. He turned down a long hallway with two huge doors at the end. He clenched a fist and stretched it back. Luffy pounded through the large double doors. Gold was inlaid in the ornamentations on the entrance. It was a good thing Nami didn't see him break down the doors, she'd yell at him for wrecking the gold.

Luffy burst into the room and skidded to a halt. The room was full of siren soldiers. He scratched his head. This wasn't the throne room… That's where a king should be right? An older man was heading towards a back door. He had a gold crown embroidered on his tunic.

"Oi! Crown-Ossan, where can I find the king?" Luffy shouted across the crowded room.

The murmurs that echoed around the room suddenly stilled as everything went completely silent. The Crown-Ossan turned around slowly.

"And what do you want with King Sudo-sama, child?" the Crown-Ossan sneered.

"He has to pay for torturing Magina. No one hurts my nakama and gets away with it!"

"Have you fought sirens before, child?" the Crown-Ossan asked, completely ignoring him.

"Sirens are the toughest creatures on the sea, boy. Even the mermen have no hope to stand against our might. What can a lone human do to us?"

Luffy clenched his fists as the rage boiled inside of him. He didn't care that sirens were stronger than mermen. It just meant that this would be a more satisfying fight.

"You weren't listening. The king hurt Magina. She is my nakama. Now, take me to the king!" Luffy yelled, barely seeing through his anger.

The Crown-Ossan smirked at him. "Boy," he said with an evil glint in his eye, "if you survive against our elite sirens, then you can face us yourself. King Sudo-sama always enjoys an easy fight. Men, try not to dismember him too badly. I want my special 'prize' to know exactly whose disfigured body she will be cleaning up in here."

The Crown-Ossan was really the king! The other sirens chuckled nastily as they encircled him. The Crown-Ossan headed for the door. Luffy scowled as the door closed. He glared at the men around him. Why did Sudo think that this would stop him? He balled up his fists and started the ensuing fray.

. . .

Zoro was furious. He should have checked his surroundings before kissing her. Soldiers poured down the stairs like fire ants. Gash stood next to him; anger burning in his eyes.

"The king must be stopped," Gash said simply.

Zoro and Gash waited at the bottom of the stairs, content to let the enemy rush them. He fought them ferociously, driving them back towards the palace with Gash's help. They quickly dispatched of the sirens. His vision cleared as he looked around him. Song soldiers lay everywhere.

Zoro sighed when he saw Magina still safe. She was so beautiful… Drawn like a moth to a flame, he wandered back to her side. Her shoulder was wrapped in a makeshift bandage. Magina frowned apprehensively as he approached her.

"Magina? What's wrong?" Zoro asked.

He waited until her eyes met his. They were clouded, unfocused but only briefly. Her whole attention snapped to him. The worry didn't leave her eyes. He didn't recognize this uncertain Magina. Zoro resisted the urge to clench his fists. This _king_ had a lot to answer for.

"One of the songs in my head, it… was snuffed out. I don't know what that means. It's not dead but it's so faint that it might as well be. I don't like this, Zoro! I can't remember who it is!" she looked up at him, tears in her eyes.

Zoro drew her into a hug, unwilling to let his momentary doubts make her more upset. He stroked her hair, waiting for the right words to come out. When he was sure he could speak with confidence, he held Magina out at arm's length.

"Everyone is alright, Magina. The Straw Hat Pirates have faced far worse odds than an island of sirens. Everything will be fine. Let's find everyone. It might help you remember."

"I hate to disagree with you, bushido. Meeting them probably won't help," Kigen said, limping towards them. "It's amazing that she remembered you and you're linked to her. Seeing the rest of this pirate crew will only force her to carry out the king's prerogative. Judging from her actions when you landed, he wants her to kill her nakama. Isn't that right, Magina?"

"Then, why hasn't she killed me?" Zoro asked.

. . .

Magina had to agree with Kigen. The dark velvet voice whispered unceasingly in her mind: '_Remember: kill them.'_

"Will I no longer need to kill the songs in my head if the king is destroyed?" she asked quietly.

Kigen turned to her with compassion in his eyes.

"I don't know, but it couldn't hurt."

If the pirates were her nakama, then Magina wouldn't let anyone hurt them. She remembered always being alone; the idea of having nakama was completely foreign to her. However, Magina knew Zoro was telling the truth and it only strengthened her resolve to keep her nakama safe.

"Magina, take these with you. Remember the inscriptions and everything will turn out fine," Kigen said as he gently placed the daggers back in her hands.

He gave her a chaste kiss on the top of her head. Magina's vision blurred with tears as she read the inscriptions.

"When strength becomes weakness, True strength lies within."

Kigen nodded when she read the words out loud. "Gash, lead them to the king."

Gash nodded and escorted them away. Just before entering the palace, Magina stopped Zoro.

"Zoro, I want you to take one of my daggers."

Zoro didn't look enthusiastic about that plan. Magina took the belt that she used to keep the daggers at her side and tied it around his waist. When she was satisfied that it wasn't going to slip off, she started following Gash again.

"Magina, we need every advantage that we have over the king," Zoro argued with a frown.

Magina returned to his side and boldly kissed him on the cheek.

He sighed in exasperation. Magina smiled a little. She couldn't tell him that they already had an advantage over the king. He'd never see this coming.

. . .

Luffy cleared a path through the room, largely unscathed. He broke through the door shortly afterwards. Sudo turned, not surprised or alarmed that he was there. In fact, he almost looked disappointed.

"It took a longer than what I expected from you, boy. I anticipated greater things from you. I should know better than to trust rumors."

Luffy didn't care what Sudo thought. He was only interested in helping Magina.

"SUDO! What did you do to Magina?" Luffy yelled.

"I made her my puppet. I told her to kill the pirate scum that appeared on the shore. She obviously didn't do a good job. She will be punished as soon as I deal with you all. By the time I'm done with her, she'll beg for death. A more benevolent king would grant her that wish but I have been defied by her for the last time," Sudo replied, his eyes glittering coldly.

Luffy clenched his fists, determined not to let that happen. He charged then, raining a flurry of blows upon the king. Not a single punch landed. Luffy paused, unsure why his punches weren't hitting anything. Cruel laughter rang through the circular room.

"Do you know how I became King, boy? I walked behind the old one and stabbed him in the heart. I think your end should be more creative and entertaining for me," a disembodied voice next to his ear said.

Luffy spun angrily, swinging his arms around, hoping he would hit something. There was no contact. Luffy wanted to growl in frustration. Where was Sudo and why couldn't he hit him?

"You can't kill me. I'm going to be the Pirate King!" Luffy said confidently. There was a moment of silence.

"Boy, even if you survive this encounter, you won't endure the presence of your nakama. She's coming, no doubt attempting to assassinate me. Her little attempt at heroism is misguided and useless, though amusing on some level," Sudo sneered.

"Why?" Luffy asked without thinking.

There was no answer. There was the hiss of metal scraping against stone just seconds before a ribbon of blinding, burning pain pierced Luffy's side. The wound wasn't fatal, if he reached Chopper right away, but he needed to rescue Magina from Sudo. He didn't have time to search Chopper out. Luffy stood up, not even caring the way his blood dripped onto the white marble floor.

"You certainly are stubborn. No matter, you may amuse me until she arrives," Sudo said in a bored, unfeeling tone.

Luffy shivered. He wasn't afraid. But for some reason, he felt cold.

. . .

Zoro did not like having one of Magina's daggers with him. His gut instinct screamed at him that it was a very bad idea. She grew quiet as they drew closer. Gash led them through twisting hallways and chambers. Zoro was certain that if Magina wasn't beside him, he would have gotten very lost.

"Almost there," Gash called behind him.

Magina nodded; as if she knew. Sometimes, Zoro wished he knew what she was thinking. As if she realized that he was looking at her, she glanced at him. Her eyes were sad and the smile she gave him wasn't reassuring. The uncertain dread that he felt earlier returned in full force. They entered a room, the doors hanging by the hinges. Song soldiers were strewn all around the room. Most were unconscious and the few that weren't groaned in pain.

Zoro halted, wondering who broke down the doors. Was it Luffy or Sanji? Magina stopped too and kissed him fiercely, passionately. It was as if she would never kiss him again. Zoro's blood ran cold. What was she planning? Any thought of asking her flew out of his mind when he saw his captain.

"Luffy!" he shouted as he ran into the next room. Magina followed, a worried frown on her face.

"Perfect. My prize arrives just as my amusement expires. I couldn't have planned this better myself," a dark voice said evilly. "And to give me more entertainment, I have invited all the pirate scum to participate. We shall see how long any of you can last against Magina-san."

Zoro glanced around quickly, trying to get a feel for where they were. The door they entered from was only one of many. There were four doors in all. Zoro looked back at Magina. She trembled.

"Sudo, you have a lot to answer for," she stated quietly.

"That's where you are wrong, child. I am king. I answer to no one!" Sudo sneered.

"You may be king but you answer to your people. And there is much for you to pay for. I know what and who you are, Sudo: A murderous traitor and a phony king who loves to hear the sound of his own voice!"

Magina rushed him and moved to plunge her dagger in his chest. Sudo jumped back in time but just barely. Her dagger scratched him across his tunic. His eyes glistened with anger as he touched the cut.

Sudo struck Magina viciously across the mouth. The force of the blow was enough to send her sprawling. Zoro remained quiet until Magina began approaching Sudo. He tried pulling her back but she shook him off. He rushed over to Magina the moment she landed. She slowly sat up and blinked rapidly. Angrily, Zoro attacked. Sudo was quicker than he expected. He evaded every blow that came his way. The eyes of the king swung angrily to him.

"What do you think you are doing with those sticks?" Sudo asked contemptuously.

Zoro grimly pressed his attack. The king wouldn't be able to dodge forever. Eventually, one of them would tire and then this would end.

_So, that's Chapter 14. I hope you enjoyed it. Sorry for the wait on this chapter. Editing was not going very well lol. I'm thanking Zororenjilover and mikiiiiihearts again this time around. Hopefully Chapter 15 will edit easier. Thanks everyone for reading!_


	15. How to Save a Stubborn Siren

_Yay! Chapter 15! You probably know the drill by now…All original characters, plot and settings belong to Eiichiro Oda and I received no payment of any kind for writing this story._

Magina sat up, shaking the fuzziness from her head. She didn't expect him to hit her that hard. She looked up to see Zoro attacking Sudo. There was something very odd about this fight. Zoro hadn't connected at all. It was impossible for someone to dodge Zoro's onslaught. Magina saw his amazing sword play in action not long ago but Sudo evaded easily.

"You may know quite a lot about me, child, but it won't be enough to kill me," Sudo brushed Zoro aside like he was a rag doll. Suddenly, the doors burst open, each revealing soldiers pushing people into the room. Magina felt the pull before she could stop herself. She gripped her remaining dagger, glad that she had the foresight to give her other one to Zoro.

"You didn't even start your mission. How disappointing, Magina-san. Kill them, kill them now!"

The mist was back. She shook her head, trying to clear it. He was singing again, trying to control her. She wouldn't allow that to happen. Magina started singing too but she sang to Zoro. Only Zoro could accomplish this.

"Come, my friend, my love

Though our reunion was brief

It lifts my heart above

Come hither, my love, my friend

Raise my steel high, plunge deep

And let it end, let it all end."

She sang it over and over again. At first when she didn't see him, Magina despaired. She kept singing, trying to drown the compelling bass voice that was commanding her to kill. Then, he was there in front of her, her other dagger held high. The look on his face was tortured and with each step he fought her. Zoro shook his head furiously, attempting not to take the last few steps towards her. Sudo stopped singing, finally aware of what Magina was doing. He started singing again, a different song. Whether it was to stop Zoro or to stop her, she couldn't tell.

"Magina, no," Zoro said.

He was close enough that she could hear him now. His voice cracked when he said it. Tears filled her eyes as she smiled at him. She walked towards him and got close enough to kiss him. Magina sang the song again, her lips barely an inch away. Unable to resist her any longer, Zoro plunged the dagger deep in her back. Magina kissed him, allowing the tears to fall unchecked down her cheeks. Immediately after she stopped singing, Zoro pulled the dagger out. Her knees buckled as she leaned against him.

He supported her, asking brokenly, "Why, Magina? Why?"

Magina gasped as Zoro laid her on the cold ground. She smiled weakly. "Zoro, I remember. I remember! Luffy and Sanji, Nami and Chopper, Usopp, Robin…I remember everything…" Magina let her eyes close as everything went dark. She remembered.

. . .

Zoro couldn't think, he couldn't see…couldn't breathe. Was Magina even alive? He heard a nasty chuckle behind him.

"How very cunning of her. She persuaded someone to kill her before she completed the task I set for her. Clever, very clever. Now, I'll have to exert the energy to destroy you all myself. How bothersome," Sudo said in a bored tone.

Zoro saw red as he gripped her dagger. Sudo had no right to speak of Magina's sacrifice so lightly. He angrily slashed the air next to him. He knew that Sudo would no longer be there but he didn't care. How did she get so strong? When? Was she always stronger than him? Why couldn't he resist her? They finally found each other again; why did they need to be separated so soon?

Grief and pain tore through him when he thought about losing Magina forever. No! He refused to let her die. He sheathed one sword and gripped Magina's dagger tighter. Zoro knew that this was one fight he couldn't lose. He glanced around, spotted Sudo and started his attack. Sudo wouldn't stand a chance.

. . .

Why did those scumbag pirates think they stood a chance against him? Very privately, Sudo thought that they were quite resourceful for pirates. Sudo hadn't anticipated that. He hadn't expected them to be so stubborn either. He wasn't hurt badly, a few bruises, a couple of welts, a scratch here or there, but nothing that wouldn't be gone in a couple of days.

Sudo looked at the fallen pirate crew and scowled. They weren't dead yet. That was something he was now able to rectify. Sudo took his own trident daggers out of their sheathes and twirled them effortlessly. He headed toward the unconscious bushido first. After all, every problem he experienced with Magina was because of this one man. He flipped the man over on his back and chuckled nastily.

"You are about to discover how it feels to have your heart cut out of your chest," Sudo said.

He lifted his dagger high before plunging it deep into the bushido's chest. At least, the dagger would be buried in his chest if it wasn't stopped mid-plunge. A silvery blue encased the bushido like a long shield. Sudo glanced up, surprised.

Kigen stood at the doorway, his hand outstretched towards the bushido.

Sudo sneered. So, Kigen wasn't dead. He was getting sloppy. He would have to correct this problem.

"General Kigen. There aren't many men that are brave enough to put a stop to a King's pleasure."

"Do you think that just because the people haven't revolted against an imposter that you're still ruler? You are not king," Kigen said, shaking his head as if disappointed.

Sudo growled deep in his throat. "I _am_ king. I will not be spoken to in this manner!"

"It's time for the survivors of the true bloodline to be revealed."

Sudo was confused. He made sure that all of the old king's descendants were wiped off the face of the earth. How could there be any survivors?

"You're lying. I killed all in the royal bloodline so that I would remain king."

"You _did_ kill the entire bloodline," Kigen said as if conceding the point. "All except for one little boy who was visiting his uncle at the time of the attack. I believe you called him a miserable slave and told him to go back to the kitchen because that's where he belonged. Since you didn't realize that the boy was actually related to the king, he survived. Must I continue the story?"

"It was you," Sudo murmured, experiencing a moment of fear.

"Yes, I was that little boy and that means that my granddaughter is also royalty. She can become Queen."

"How do you expect her to become Queen when she forced the bushido to kill her? She's dead," Sudo said coldly.

"I'm not dead yet, Sudo."

He didn't like this at all. What was going to happen to him now?

. . .

When Magina opened her eyes, she saw Kigen standing over her. His relief was overwhelmingly visible as he tightly gripped her hand.

"Thank the gods. I thought I was too late."

Magina slowly sat up with Kigen's help. She glanced around, surprised that she wasn't in the same room anymore. What happened? The last thing she remembered was kissing Zoro.

"Where am I?"

Kigen smiled grimly. "I moved you into a neighboring chamber while Sudo was preoccupied with fighting the bushido. There's a lot of information you need to know and not a lot of time to tell you so listen carefully."

Kigen quickly explained that he was the nephew of the King, the real king. Sudo was really just a distant relative who never had a shot at the throne. Sudo took matters into his own hands and slaughtered the rest of the royal family so he could ascend to power.Only Kigen managed to escape. The news that she was a siren royalty shocked her beyond words. Kigen wasn't done surprising her yet.

He told her how siren royalty was also blessed with the ability to manipulate the elements through song. During his fight with Zoro, he was only able to evade every attack because Sudo borrowed the wind's speed. Kigen explained that their control of the elements was limited to enhancing their abilities or defending themselves.

"You need to know all of this before you face him again because I believe that we're all in danger. I think his aim is the Sea Atrium. It's the holy place where the next royal line is decided. He's not satisfied with just taking over the throne. He wants the gods to recognize his right to rule. If they agree, then we'll be destroyed. Only one royal bloodline can be in existence at one time."

Magina frowned. Kigen nodded sharply and helped her stand.

"Come, let's rescue your nakama."

Magina followed quietly. She didn't fully understand everything that Kigen said but she grasped the important details. She was siren royalty, Sudo was mad for more power and if he succeeded, both she and Kigen would die. They hurried back. She watched in amazement as he sang and water protected Zoro from being stabbed in the heart. It was time for her to finish this.

Now, Magina was facing the very man who caused her so much pain. She gently pried her dagger from Zoro's fingers. Magina glanced warily at Sudo. He was larger, heavier and had more reach to him.

"Sudo, you are charged with several counts of murder and for singing the song of absolute control. You may either face the Song Council and take your punishment there, or," and Magina paused. "Or you may choose to face me as your opponent. What will you decide?"

"The Song Council is little more than a sham. They would never give me a real punishment. Then again, I do need to kill you, your grandpa and your precious nakama. That would be nine little birds in one fell swoop," Sudo said condescendingly. Magina waited patiently.

"Fine, pretend that you're a royal. I will kill you and the kingdom will be mine again."

Magina twirled her daggers. "The last one alive will have the gods' approval. Until there is only one of us left breathing, the fight is not over, do you understand?"

She wanted to make sure that he would not attack Kigen or her nakama while she still breathed. Sudo growled at her, obviously not liking that idea. Still, he nodded stiffly and attacked. Magina blocked the blow with marginal difficulty. Sudo was large and he had a lot of strength behind his attacks. That did make him slower though and that was a big advantage.

Magina snuck around his defenses and slowly worked to ensure her victory. It wasn't taking her long, which was a good thing, because Magina was tiring. She needed to finish this now. Sudo had the same idea as they broke off from attacking each other.

"You're better than I thought. Now, child, you have a decision to make," Sudo panted, wiping sweat from his brow quickly.

"No more games, Sudo. I intend to finish you here!" Magina glared at him.

"You can do that. Then, you can watch your grandfather die or you can save him with your life. While you're dying, I'll go to the Sea Atrium to be recognized as true king. The choice is yours," Sudo said, flicking his dagger through the air with ease.

Magina didn't hesitate. She sprinted to her grandfather's side. She had family to protect and she wasn't going to let anyone harm them. It was only after the dagger bit deep into her stomach that Magina realized that she was tricked. Sudo never intended to hit Kigen. He was aiming for her the entire time.

"You…tricked me," she gasped.

"You were never going to win against me. Have a nice death. I have an appointment with destiny that I'd hate to miss," Sudo laughed cruelly.

"Sudo…you bastard." Magina whispered. She crawled towards him. He couldn't be allowed to leave; she was still breathing.

"Spend your last few minutes with your _family_," Sudo sneered. "I'm leaving you with some dignity. It's more than you deserve. Now, you'll have to excuse me, my kingdom awaits."

Sudo left her alone to face her nakama. Magina clenched her fists in suppressed rage. Somebody turned her over on her back. Through blurry vision, she saw Luffy looking down at her. She coughed, some blood dribbling from her mouth. Luffy's eyes narrowed dangerously. Magina smiled, she was so glad that she remembered that look.

"Luffy, I'm glad you're okay," Magina gasped.

"You remember, Magina?" Luffy asked, his voice low.

"I remember everything," Magina answered, trying her best not to grimace.

"You haven't learned yet, Magina. We're nakama. We're supposed to help you! You don't have to do things by yourself!" Luffy said angrily.

Tears jumped to Magina's eyes. Even after all the time they had spent together, she still needed to be reminded of that. She always was independent and asking for help was something she never considered first.

"Luffy," she whispered, her voice breaking and some of her unshed tears slipping.

"Where did he go?" Zoro asked.

"To the Sea Atrium; we have to hurry," Magina said, taking out the dagger and jamming a fist in the wound to plug it up as best as she could. She attempted to sit up but Luffy and Zoro reached out to stop her.

"You can leave the rest to us. We're not going to let him get away with this," Luffy declared.

"I still have to go with you. I will show you the way. I'll leave the fighting to you but I have to be there," Magina said desperately.

"Why? So you can try killing yourself again? We came here to save you," Zoro asked angrily.

"I'll explain everything, I promise, but please, take me with you. I won't fight him. I _can't_ fight him. I need your help. I can't do this on my own."

Magina was crying now. She hated to admit her weakness but she would admit she needed help if they believed in her just one last time. Suddenly, she was lifted in the air and put on Luffy's back. Her tears fell harder as she tried to smile anyway.

"You'll leave the fighting to us?" Luffy asked.

"Yes."

"And you'll explain everything?" Zoro took his bandana and tied it tightly around his head.

"Yes."

"Well, then let's kick that king's ass!" Luffy shouted.

"Head straight to the open door with the staircase. That will take us to the Sea Atrium," Magina said in relief.

Luffy and Zoro took off running in that direction. They pounded up the stairs as they rushed forward.

"Why would he go up here?" Luffy asked.

"The Sea Atrium…they say it was built by the gods so that the people would always have the best leader. If Sudo goes to the Sea Atrium and is chosen by the gods, then Kigen and I…we'll both die. That's why I have to be there, to represent the true current bloodline. I don't want to die. I haven't accomplished my dream yet. And I want to keep sailing with everyone! I-I don't want to lose my nakama just after finding you again!" Magina cried, her tears falling faster.

"Baka. We're not going to let him succeed. Why can't we hit him?" Zoro asked.

"He's been singing to the elements to enhance his natural abilities."

"Why did you sing to me?" Zoro quietly asked.

Magina blushed at the question. "It was the only way I thought of to save everyone. The urge to kill was too strong. I needed to…"

"Are you an idiot?" Luffy asked suddenly cutting her off. "We are the ones rescuing _you_. Why are you so worried about us? Don't just trust in your own strength. You should trust in the strength of your nakama."

Magina stayed quiet, digesting what Luffy said. She grinned, happy for the first time in weeks.

"Aye!"

Suddenly, a strange pain settled in her chest.

"It's starting!" she gasped out.

Luffy and Zoro ran quicker. It wasn't long before they reached the top. A wooden door was all that separated them from the main part of the atrium. Luffy brought back a fist and broke it down. The Sea Atrium was a round room with windows on every side. The sun sparkled off the glass and reflected off the ocean. It was beautiful but Magina hardly noticed. The pain was intense and she was losing quickly to the darkness that threatened to overwhelm her. She slumped against Luffy, the last of her strength draining away.

"Oi, Magina! Hey!" she dimly heard Luffy calling her.

She had to respond otherwise they would really worry…She felt herself being lifted and gently floating. She forced her eyes open and smiled weakly up at Luffy.

"You can't stop me now! Everything I have ever done was for this moment and you will not ruin it!" she heard Sudo shout.

WHO DARES TO BRING HUMANS TO THIS HOLY PLACE?

A voice thundered louder than the sea in a storm in the small confines of the room.

"The current bloodline to the throne, my lords. I humbly suggest that a new line be chosen," Sudo said gleefully.

SILENCE! LET HER TELL US HERSELF.

"Luffy, sit me up," she gasped, hoping it'd be easier to breathe.

"My lords, these are my protectors, my knights-my nakama. I brought them to this holy place only to insure that the leadership remains in the bloodline that you chose those years ago. I could not come up here by myself because I was deceived and took a mortal wound from he that now claims authority. I request that they fight in my place against this self-proclaimed king. The winner will have your blessing to rule this island, if this so pleases you, my lords," Magina said formally. The effort to speak for so long left her trembling. There was an awful silence for several seconds before the gods gave their answer.

VERY WELL. THE CRIME OF BRINGING HUMANS TO THIS SACRED PLACE AS WELL AS DECIDING TO BECOME KING THROUGH MURDER AND DECEIT ARE THE SAME. YOU WILL DUEL, BUT ONLY ONE OF YOUR KNIGHTS WILL FIGHT. YOU, SELF-PROCLAIMED KING, WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE THE BENEFITS THAT _TRUE_ ROYALTY POSSESS. CHOOSE YOUR CHAMPION WISELY.

"A boon, my lords. I request to have my other trident dagger. If she can have a champion, I ask to be fully equipped," Sudo interjected, his face contorted with rage even though his voice was calm and even.

VERY WELL. WE WILL BLESS THE WINNER OF THIS DUEL. THE LOSER WILL FEEL OUR WRATH. WE WILL COME BEFORE YOU AGAIN ONCE THE DUEL IS DECIDED.

Silence descended heavily in the room. Sudo's other dagger shimmered on the floor as it appeared and the pain in Magina's chest ebbed away.

"Luffy," Zoro growled, "I know that you're the one who wanted to kick this guy's ass, but I need to take care of this. Let me fight him, Luffy."

"If you don't beat him, Zoro; I'll never forgive you," Luffy grinned, but it wasn't the carefree grin it usually was.

"Aye," Zoro replied as he put his white katana in his mouth. He drew his other two katana and stepped forward.

"I will fight you," he told Sudo, pointing a katana at him.

Magina was forced to lean against Luffy again. Her last bit of strength was gone. Everything was going dark now.

"I'll…leave everything to you, Zoro…"she trailed off as she lost consciousness.

_I'd like to take the time to thank everyone who has reviewed or added this story to their favorites. It seems kind of crazy but we're finally getting closer to the end. By the end of this week, the last chapter should be uploaded. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Review if you wish. I enjoy reading all the comments you have! I'll upload Chapter 16 within a day or two. _


	16. Fight!  Round Two

_Legal notices: All One Piece characters, settings and original plot belong to Eiichiro Oda. I didn't receive payment of any kind for writing this fan fic. Enjoy Chapter 16!_

"OI! God-ossans! I'm taking Magina downstairs to our doctor! Any problem with that?" Luffy shouted into the room.

NONE. THOUGH IT IS PROBABLY A WASTED EFFORT. HER CHAMPION MIGHT LOSE.

"Zoro won't lose, not with Magina's life on the line. You'll see," Luffy said, gently picking up Magina.

"Damn straight I won't lose," Zoro growled around the katana in his mouth.

IF YOU WISH TO TREAT HER THEN YOU MAY GO. SEND HER OTHER ANCESTOR UP INSTEAD. BOTH BLOODLINES MUST BE PRESENT.

"Fine. Zoro…" Luffy started to say.

"Stop worrying about me and get her to Chopper."

"Yosh!" Luffy stood up and ran down the stairs.

"Chopper! Magina needs help!" Luffy shouted. "Oh, grandpa. The God-ossans need your blood…or was it that the Crown-Ossan has no blood…or maybe it was…" he started saying before Nami punched him in the head.

"Take messages clearly or nobody will understand you," she said crossly.

"It's alright. Take care of my granddaughter for me, Straw Hat. I'm counting on this crew."

The grandpa headed up the stairs, leaving Magina behind. Luffy put Magina down on the floor so that Chopper could start making her better. Chopper took out more supplies from his bag.

"Save her, Chopper. You can do it!" Luffy encouraged.

He walked back to the staircase and sat down. He was going to wait for Zoro here. If more sirens came and wanted to fight, then he'd fight but Luffy wanted to know as soon as Zoro was done fighting.

"Oi, Luffy, what about Zoro?" Sanji asked, leaning against the door frame.

"He's fighting the Crown-Ossan. Only one of us could fight him and Zoro asked," Luffy shrugged. "We'll know soon."

Sanji lit a cigarette and nodded. The only thing to do now was wait.

. . .

Zoro was relieved that Luffy let him fight Sudo. His emotions were a mess and the rage that he felt building up inside of him had to be released somehow.

"The gods will favor their chosen people over mere humans. What nobody realizes is that while I hold two of these daggers, I am unbeatable. Having another katana won't save you," Sudo said, his grin cold and unfeeling.

Zoro said nothing. He didn't need to explain to another baka that having three katana was not the same as having a three-sword technique.

"Besides, even if I didn't have the advantage of being more skilled and experienced than a human pup; I still have one more trump card. You thought Magina was in pain when she was still hundreds of miles away; how do you think it will feel now that she's only just down the stairs?" Sudo chuckled evilly at the very thought of it.

Zoro couldn't stay silent any longer. His eyes snapped with rage.

"Shut up! You can insult me all you want because you have not seen my true skill but thinking that you can use her to threaten me won't work," and Zoro leapt to attack.

"You're fast, but I _am_ a siren, boy. I can attack your precious Magina while I kill you!" Sudo began to sing as he began his own series of attacks.

Zoro was surprised at the onslaught that Sudo attacked him with. Now that Sudo was singing to hurt Magina, he had to work fast to kill him. That was the reason why they came, to stop this man from hurting her ever again. Sudo kept attacking and Zoro had to expound more energy to block him. _Don't give in, Magina. Just hold on a little bit longer!_ he thought as he started attacking once again.

. . .

"Luffy!" Chopper shouted, calling his attention away from the stairs.

"What is she doing?" Sanji asked as he stood up.

Luffy turned around and saw Magina and Chopper struggling. Magina tried crawling forward while Chopper was attempting to keep her still. He even transformed to his 'arm point', but it wasn't helping. Luffy leapt to his feet to help. He glanced around quickly. Were there any pillars or poles that he could wrap Magina around, like he did on the ship?

"Chopper? What's going on?" Nami asked.

"Magina started crawling away. She's not even awake. She shouldn't be moving at all; she's seriously wounded. If she puts any more strain on her body, she might die!" Chopper shouted, still trying to hold her back.

Luffy spotted an unbroken pillar. He ran to Chopper and picked up Magina. He stretched and grabbed the pillar and wrapped both himself and Magina around it. Yosh! Now she shouldn't be able to move. Her head hung limply. The rest of her body lunged and strained forward towards a summons that only she could hear. Her feet dangled two inches above the ground. Magina squirmed.

"Oi…oi! Magina, stop moving!" Luffy said, annoyed.

It was useless, now her feet touched the ground and Magina took a step forward. His body stretched with her as she started moving towards the stairs. Luffy grabbed another pillar behind him and tried stretching himself back so that she couldn't move. It stopped her for a while but she always strained to stretch him out a further.

"Magina, wake up! Stop moving! You heard Chopper. If you keep moving, you'll die! Oi! Magina! WAKE UP!"

Her body jerked suddenly and Luffy snapped back.

. . .

"Luffy?" Magina mumbled.

"Magina, you're awake. Good. Now, stop moving!"

"It's Sudo," she replied, gritting her teeth in silent pain.

"He is powerful, but you are stronger, Magina-sama. I know you are," the siren who helped Luffy said.

"Ooh, Gash! You're okay too!" Luffy said excitedly. Gash smiled evenly. Then, he sobered and looked her straight in the eye.

"Magina-sama. When I was chosen to be put on the mission to bring you back to Song Island, I thought it would be a simple task. Though the distance was great, how could a half-siren resist the summoning song? But you resisted, not only for days, but weeks…months! Even when Sudo sang, you still resisted. I was amazed at your will power. You have become stronger since then. Use that strength now."

Magina took a deep breath and calmed her mind. Gash was right. She was stronger than Sudo. Closing her eyes, she willed her body to relax, to stop fighting. Magina slumped against Luffy, beyond exhausted. Luffy unwound them from the pillar and laid her down on the ground again. Chopper immediately resumed patching her up. Now, she only had to wait for Zoro.

. . .

Zoro and Sudo broke away from each other for a moment. They panted heavily. The older king wasn't just talk, he was excellent at his fighting style, but he wasn't invincible. They both bled in several spots. Still, Sudo glowed as if he already won.

"She did very well resisting so far but there is one more trick that I can use," Sudo said, breaking off the compulsion song.

General stood up quickly. "No! Magina!" He was about to leave and run downstairs when an invisible barrier stopped him.

YOU CANNOT LEAVE UNTIL THE OUTCOME OF THIS DUEL IS DECIDED. BOTH BLOODLINES MUST BE PRESENT.

The General clenched a fist and pounded the barrier once in frustration. He sat back down and looked at Zoro.

"You thought you were fighting on borrowed time before, bushido. Now. the stakes are even higher."

"What is he going to do?" Zoro asked, gripping his katana.

"There's no need to explain, Kigen. You see," and he turned to Zoro, an evil glint in his eye, "I am going to break her. Ordinary sirens can break a link, but I've discovered how to break souls. Even if you win this fight, Magina will still die!" Sudo attacked and sang another song.

An unfamiliar pain squeezed Zoro's chest and made his head throb. He ignored it as best as he could but the pain quickly intensified. He stumbled back. Zoro knew he left an opening before Sudo's dagger struck him. He grunted as the dagger pierced deeply. Sudo danced away as Zoro slashed at him, leaving the blade embedded in his shoulder. Though the pain was incredible and he was losing the feeling in his left hand, Zoro still smirked.

"You made three mistakes, Sudo. Your first mistake was taking Magina away. Your second mistake was to threaten her in front of me. But the mistake that will cost you your life is leaving your weapon behind," Zoro growled as he pressed his advantage.

He was not going to let Magina die. Sudo looked apprehensive as he realized that he _had_ left the dagger in Zoro's shoulder. Zoro snarled. It was time to end this.

. . .

Magina breathed a sigh of relief when the song stopped. Did that mean that it was over? Did Zoro win? He must have, otherwise, she'd be dead.

"Is it over?" Chopper asked, wrapping one of her serious wounds.

"I don't know. Sudo stopped singing. Maybe he got tired…nngh!" Magina groaned before biting her lip as the pain suddenly doubled…tripled.

"What's wrong?" Chopper sounded worried.

"He's singing a different song," she answered trembling.

Gash rushed to her side.

"I can hear it too," he said desperately.

"Gash? What's going on with Magina?" Luffy asked as he came to sit at her side.

Magina clenched her teeth together as another wave of fresh pain crashed over her and left her panting. Tears dripped down her cheeks. The song was familiar.

"Sudo is attempting to break her soul. He must have realized that he can't win so he's going to kill her. He did the same to my father," Gash said angrily.

The singing was tearing her body apart. Another crest of pain swamped over her and she violently coughed up blood. The song grew stronger. Magina screamed. Her throat was raw as she finally drew in a much needed breath. In her possible final gasp of air, she could hear Gash groan.

"Not again, oh gods, please. Not again," Gash sounded just as desperate as she imagined Zoro would feel.

Magina couldn't let it end like this. Zoro was fighting for her. How would he feel when he won if he found her dead? Thinking of Zoro gave her a small burst of strength. She ignored the hands attempting to hold her down. Magina swallowed the next scream rising in her throat. She sang. There were no words. Every note and cadence dripped with her very essence. The pain increased greatly but she sang on.

Magina wasn't sure that singing would accomplish anything. Zoro and Sudo couldn't hear her. Still, she didn't want to just lay there as her soul was ripped away. If this was as far as she could travel with her beloved nakama, then at least she was going to go in a blaze of glory.

Magina sang to Zoro even if he couldn't hear her. She prayed that he would finish the fight safely. She sang to her nakama, thankful for everything they did for her. Becoming a part of the Straw Hat pirate crew was the best thing that ever happened to her. Lastly, she sang to the sea and how she regretted not being able to sail anymore. She wished that she could sail forever, on the sea and with her nakama. What would she give to have that happen again? She was dying; nothing could save her now.

_We've been waiting for a siren powerful enough to call us. We can protect you; but protection comes with a price._

Magina wondered briefly if she was hallucinating. She felt it though. The sea surrounded her, wrapped her in it's calming embrace. A price? What did that mean?

_The enemy is powerful with hate. Only the memory of something or someone you truly love will be strong enough to counteract him._

Magina felt her heart drop. Zoro, could she really say goodbye to her memories of him…again? She balked at the idea.

_We understand your hesitation, siren. You'll be protecting the champion you're linked to as well. The loss is only temporary. Believe in us._

The sea whispered soothingly. Magina was torn for only a moment longer. Zoro would be protected too? That silenced whatever doubts still lingering in her mind. She could feel the pain he was experiencing because of her. If she had to lose her memory of him temporarily in order to help him…She had to do it. The sea wrapped around her and gently began to form a barrier. Ice crawled up her leg, encasing her in an unbreakable shield.

_Do not worry. The ice shield will dissipate once the danger is past._

She could no longer hear Sudo singing. The pain slowly melted away. She drifted off. It was cold but she wanted to believe in the sea. It would not use an ice shield if it was going to kill her. Sleep claimed her swiftly and she dreamt of Zoro.

_A big thank you for everyone who has reviewed and added this story to their favorites. Can you believe it? There are only two chapters left! I'll be putting Chapter 17 up as soon as I can. I know that this chapter ended on a bit of a cliffhanger so I'll try to be quick with editing. Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Review if you feel the urge to. I can't wait to hear what you think! Thanks for reading! _


	17. And the Winner Is

_The legal stuff: All original plot, characters and settings belong to Eiichiro Oda and I received no payment of any kind to write this story. Enjoy Chapter 17!_

Why wouldn't Sudo die? Zoro never admitted to weakness but Magina's pain interfered with fighting. Then, the agony suddenly stopped. Zoro could finally finish this bastard off. Sudo charged at him. Here was his chance. He held his two katana parallel from each other so that his white-handled katana was perpendicular.

"Tora Kande!" (Tiger Hunting Prey) Zoro shouted as Sudo rushed him.

Two slashes appeared on Sudo's chest, blood gushing from the wounds. Sudo groaned and crashed heavily to the floor, the _Thud!_ echoing in the chamber.

THE DUEL IS OVER. YOUR BLOODLINE MAY CONTINUE TO RULE.

"My lords, I have an unusual request if you would please listen," General said, standing up stiffly.

YOU MAY SPEAK.

"I am getting old and though my granddaughter could become Queen, I want nothing more than to see her happy. She was happiest with her nakama and with her champion. I ask that another bloodline be chosen. I will give up all right to rule and my life if it would save her and allow her to be with her nakama," General finished.

SOMEONE MUST RULE. THE DUEL HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT THIS SELF-PROCLAIMED KING WAS NOT WORTHY TO LEAD. WHAT YOU ARE ASKING IS IMPOSSIBLE.

"Bushido, make sure she's alright, and will you also send Gash up here? My lords, I have a proposal if I can beg you to listen…" General trailed off as Zoro eagerly did what he asked. He wanted to see Magina safe. He sheathed his katana and ran down the stairs.

"Gash, that general wants you to see him up there," he said, pointing at the stairs with his thumb. When he turned around to look for Magina, Zoro got the surprise of his life. She was encased in a block of ice. Everyone else was just as baffled as he was.

'What the hell?" he asked in wonder as he came closer to the large ice crystal.

_Brave warriors, the danger is past. We hope to see you sailing soon._

The ice became water instantly and Magina crumpled to the ground. Chopper immediately rushed to her side. He forgot that the dagger was still embedded in his shoulder. He got a tight grip on it and pulled it out.

"Oi, shitty marimo…you sure took your time," Sanji smirked.

"Shut up, you damn Love Cook. Just because you didn't do any of the fighting and had to wait down here…" Zoro retorted.

"You want to fight, you green-haired broccoli-head freak!" Sanji yelled back.

"Anytime you want, you long-legged, dartboard brow bastard!" Zoro shouted in return.

"Why you…" Sanji growled.

SO IT SHALL BE DONE!

"Oh, it's the god-ossans!" Luffy grinned.

Chopper worked diligently on Magina. Zoro relaxed. It wasn't the toughest fight he ever fought but for an old man, Sudo gave him a hard time.

"Oi, Luffy. I'm taking a nap," Zoro said before letting himself fall over on his back and sleep.

. . . Several days later . . .

Magina woke up slowly. She didn't remember much after the gods allowed Luffy to duel Sudo. She was on a large comfortable bed and covered in blankets. Good, she felt a bit chilled. She also couldn't move. Just what had happened? A door opened and Gash walked in. He grinned when he saw her.

"Good, I'll let the Straw Hats know that you're awake. Don't move." Gash left but was back a few moments later with all of her nakama.

"Oi! Magina! You're awake!" Luffy shouted and laughed.

"It's good to see everyone safe. I'm so relieved," Magina said as a few happy tears fell.

"How much do you remember, Magina?" Gash asked when everyone found a seat. She glanced for somebody. She thought he would be here. She couldn't find him. Disappointed, she turned to answer Gash.

"I remember the gods allowing someone else to fight Sudo for me. After that, it's all a blank. Was it you, Luffy? It must have been, thank you," Magina smiled. Then, she noticed the shocked expressions on her nakamas' faces.

"What? Was it something I said?" Magina asked worriedly.

"Magina. I didn't fight the Crown-Ossan. Zoro did," Luffy corrected her with a puzzled look on his face.

"Who's Zoro? Is he another siren, like Gash?" Magina asked.

. . .

Zoro couldn't believe his ears. After everything they had been through, after being separated and finally reunited…why didn't Magina remember him? She remembered Luffy. Did she remember the rest of the crew or did she forget them as well? No one said anything for a moment as the truth sunk in.

"Magina, this might sound odd but will you introduce me to your nakama?" Gash asked.

Magina happily introduced her nakama to Gash. Luffy, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Chopper and Robin were all mentioned. Magina even remembered what everyone's position was on Merry. Only Zoro was absent from both lists.

"That should be everyone…" she trailed off at the end, suddenly uncertain. She looked at Gash in confusion.

"No. There's one more but I can't think of a name or what he does and his face has disappeared. Maybe it was this Zoro-kun you mentioned."

Zoro felt his chest constrict until it was painful to breathe. She remembered everyone…but him. Magina's shoulders slumped.

"I'd like to rest again, if that's okay."

"We'll tell you what happened later, Magina," Gash said, giving her a soothing smile.

Gash stood and opened the door. The Straw Hats filed out quickly. Zoro was the last one to leave. He glanced at Magina, who was sleeping, one last time before letting Gash close the door.

"Why does Miss Siren remember everyone but Mr. Bushido?" Robin asked, voicing the question that every person was thinking.

"Sudo did not break the link between Magina and Zoro. It is still there. It's possible that her trauma is somehow affecting her mind. I don't believe that this memory loss is permanent. What do you think, Chopper?" Gash asked.

"That's possible. With time and rest, she should return back to normal," Chopper said seriously.

Since all they could do was wait, most of the pirate crew wandered off. Lunch time wasn't far away and Luffy tried convincing Sanji that they needed an early lunch. Chopper and Usopp agreed loudly with this plan. Robin followed quietly behind. Only Nami, Gash and Zoro were left behind.

"What will you do, Zoro?" Nami asked.

"Go back in there and wait for her to wake up. Maybe seeing me will help her remember. Anyways," and Zoro yawned, "I feel like another nap. Maybe Love Cook can bring her some food later."

Gash put a companionable hand on his uninjured shoulder before escorting Nami to the banquet hall. Zoro went back into Magina's room. He moved a chair to her bedside and sat down. He stared at her before sighing heavily and leaning forward.

"Come on, baka. Hurry up and remember so that we can stop worrying about you." Zoro gently flicked her in the head with his finger.

Magina flinched in her sleep.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled. "I'm trying to find you but I've lost you. I don't even recall your face. Where are you, Zoro?"

Magina was still asleep but apparently not remembering him bothered her as much as it bothered everyone else. Zoro watched as the tears rolled down her cheeks. He wiped them away. She sighed softly at his touch, a small smile replacing the worry lines.

Zoro leaned back into the chair. Magina still thought about him. He couldn't be totally forgotten then. Maybe Magina just needed a reminder. Zoro yawned again. He'd think about it more once he had a nap.

. . .

Magina's stomach growled noisily. She was starving. How long had she slept? She struggled to move. The blankets were heavy so she pushed them off of her and sat up. She was sore and didn't want to move. Loud snores distracted her. Magina glanced to her right. There was a man sleeping in a chair. One of his shoulders was wrapped in bandages. There were other bandages but these were lighter. Magina was drawn to him even if she didn't recognize him. There were slight smudges under his eyes, as if he was worrying about something. _Or someone…_ the thought entered her mind.

Magina lifted her hand and allowed a trembling finger to trace down his cheek. His skin was warm and firm underneath her touch. Magina wondered if his chest, which was invitingly uncovered, would feel the same. Her curiosity getting the better of her, Magina let her hand wander down and skate across the hard planes of his steely, unyielding chest. She could feel the steady beating of his heart down to her bones. Who was this and why was she so attracted to him? Magina almost jumped back when a strong hand wrapped around hers.

"I was wondering when you were going to wake up," his gravely voice running through her like an electric shock. He let go of her hand and opened his eyes.

"You're hungry. I'll call that damn Love Cook to make you something. Stay in bed," he commanded as he got up from the chair. Walking to the door, he stuck his head through and shouted, "Oi! Sanji! Magina needs food!"

"Hai! Coming, Magina-swan!" she heard Sanji yell.

Seconds later, she heard Sanji and the stranger arguing. Finally, Sanji was called away by Luffy to make him more meat. The man brought the meal back to her and sighed in aggravation.

"Eat. It'll build up your strength."

He didn't talk much but she couldn't imagine him doing anything to hurt her. She stared at him as he walked towards her.

"Ah, yes! Thank you!" Magina smiled. Everything he did entranced her. She'd have to pull herself together. She was still searching for someone.

"Have you ever forgotten something so important that everything feels wrong without it?" Magina asked suddenly in between bites.

. . .

Zoro woke up to gentle, searching fingers tracing his cheek. It took every ounce of willpower he possessed to let Magina explore. She never did this before. Her curiosity gave him hope that maybe she remembered something. He grabbed her hand and opened his eyes. She was so beautiful, even as bewildered as she looked. He made her eat something and sat back down and watched her. Magina asked him a question then. The question itself surprised him. How should he answer?

"Someone very precious to me was stolen away. It was a difficult search to find her."

"You found her again?" she asked with wide eyes.

"I don't know, but the journey was pretty incredible," Zoro said folding his arms across his chest and closing his eyes.

He had this unbelievable urge to hear her laugh, to make her smile. She worried too much about forgetting him.

"It sounds like it would make a great story," Magina said sounding excited.

Zoro suddenly grinned as an idea formed in his head. "It is an exciting tale…" he trailed off. He opened his eyes again, while leaning against the chair.

"Would you like to hear it?" he asked casually, looking at her from the corner of his eyes.

"Yes! I love a good story!"

"It's too bad that I can't stay awake long enough to tell all of it. Maybe if I had something to look forward to, an incentive, then I might be able to finish the story…"

"Something to keep you awake, like what?" she asked.

"Maybe if you gave me a kiss, I'd stay awake and finish the story for you." Zoro waited, holding his breath while she thought about his carefully worded request. There was no way Magina wouldn't remember him after kissing him again.

She frowned. "Just a kiss?"

Zoro nodded.

She pondered a little more. "All right," she agreed hesitantly.

Zoro began telling Magina about how they traveled the Grand Line without a compass or Log Pose. Since they didn't have an Eternal Pose until at the end of the journey, they always ran into trouble. Islands, sea monsters, the weather, even the ocean got in their way but they pressed on because finding her was more important. Magina listened raptly to his tale. So, he continued and told her what happened once they reached Song Island. Fighting Sudo and the sirens, everything that happened since they landed. Eventually, Zoro trailed off. Usopp made telling stories look so easy.

"And this person who is most precious to you? Who is she?" Magina asked breathlessly.

"Kiss me and I'll tell you," Zoro said, daring her to retreat.

Magina hesitated again but didn't try to move away when he leaned forward.

"It's you," he muttered and kissed her passionately.

At first, Magina struggled. Zoro guessed that it was more from shock and surprise than disgust. She relaxed into the kiss and even started kissing him back, just as fiercely, with just as much need as him.

"Oi, Magina-swan! I've brought you more delicious food!" Sanji said as he barged in and saw them.

Sanji put down the food for Magina very calmly. Zoro broke off the kiss before Sanji attacked him. One flying kick later, Zoro was halfway across the room and fighting an enraged Sanji.

"You shitty marimo! How dare you defile my beautiful, innocent and pure Magina-san! Using your monkey-lips to provide her with her first kiss, it's a crime against love and humanity! I'll never forgive you!"

"Oi, damn Love Cook! Magina was never yours to begin with! Who is the real monkey anyways? You're the one who barged in here while two people were having a private moment and threw a fit!" Zoro jumped back and reached for his katana. He wasn't going to unsheathe them but he wanted something to block Sanji's feet.

"STOP IT!" Magina shouted, sitting up at the edge of the bed. Zoro and Sanji turned just in time to see Magina clutch her head and fall limply back down.

"Magina!" Zoro ran around Sanji and sprinted to the bedside.

"Magina-san!" Sanji said sounding just as worried.

"Honestly," Magina panted with a grimace, "the day you two don't fight each other is the day the world will explode!"

"What?" they asked in surprise. Did she remember?

. . .

Magina's head pounded. Screaming at those two bakas probably wasn't a good idea but she was still recuperating and all of that noise was distracting.

"What did you just say?" the stranger asked hopefully.

"The day that Sanji-san doesn't fight some guy over a girl is the day the world will explode," she repeated. "Why you didn't listen to me the first time?"

The stranger's shoulders drooped in disappointment.

"Ah, well, maybe next time, shitty marimo," Sanji said, slapping him on his injured shoulder.

The stranger straightened in pain and growled, "Why…you…"

"Eat all of that soup, Magina-san. It will build up your strength," Sanji said as he walked out the door.

"Oh, well," the man commented as he got the chair and sat down again. "As long as you're alright then we won't worry about it."

Magina didn't say anything at first but ate her soup slowly. It was delicious as always. She finished and put the tray aside and lay back down.

"Except, I'm not alright. What I forgot; it was really important. I should remember, otherwise everyone will worry."

"Do you have a name? Sanji uses 'marimo' but not everybody calls you that." The man said nothing at first, contemplating, as if it was a hard decision to make.

"You can call me Mr. Bushido. Robin calls me that sometimes," Mr. Bushido said, leaning backwards in the chair.

"Mr. Bushido…" Magina tried it out.

"You can call me that until you're ready," he quietly stated.

Magina was confused at his statement but she didn't comment. Then, she spied his three katana. She knew someone who used three katana. His fighting style was incredibly graceful.

"He fought with three katana too, the man I forgot. I miss him. I almost remember. He always looked out for me, even though he would be the last one to admit it. You remind me of him, Mr. Bushido. You're very kind too," Magina commented shyly.

"You should rest. Chopper will want look at you again," Mr. Bushido said, his eyes closed.

Magina smiled and settled under the covers. She allowed sleep to overtake her. Maybe things would clear up the next time she woke.

_Hey everybody! I hope you enjoyed Chapter 17. There's only one chapter left. Crazy, right? Thanks to everyone who reviewed and added this story to their favorites. I'll try to edit Chapter 18 quickly so you don't have to be in suspense any longer. Review if you want to. I love reading them. Thanks!_


	18. A Play in 6 Acts End

_Legal things: All original plot, settings and characters belong to Eiichiro Oda. And I did not receive payment of any kind for writing this story. I hope you enjoy the last chapter! Also a note to the readers: I've included a cast list and the acts as well. The play is written in italics to keep things easy to follow. Enjoy the last chapter!_

Zoro debated telling Magina his real name. He wanted to hear her say it but not when she didn't remember him. When she called him "Mr. Bushido", he almost corrected her. Zoro growled loudly in his throat. Battling Sudo over again would be easier than waiting for her to remember him.

"How is your shoulder, Zoro?" Chopper asked, looking at him.

"It will heal. I said it before, Chopper. Stop worrying about me and concentrate on her."

"She still doesn't remember you?" Chopper asked, mixing some medicine.

"Magina is so close to remembering. She doesn't recognize me and doesn't know my name but she's remembering things _about_ me. A swordsman has to learn patience when fighting an opponent. I'll be patient."

"Oi, Zoro, Chopper. Come here," Usopp called softly from the door.

Chopper and Zoro looked at each other before following Usopp into the hallway.

"This is my 756th brainstorm to help Magina remember our good nakama, Zoro-kun. Luffy liked it too and wants to try it."

"Try what?" Zoro asked suspiciously.

"We'll put on a play of main points that happened between Zoro and Magina so far."

"WHAT?" they both shouted. Zoro was slack-jawed with shock while Chopper sparkled with excitement.

"I call it: Usopp-sama's Play of Magina and Zoro in 6 acts with a final 7th act that glorifies my greatness!"

"What part will I be playing?" Chopper asked with stars in his eyes.

"Oh, you have a very important part indeed, Chopper. You will play our most illustrious captain," Usopp gleamed.

"I get to play Luffy?" Chopper repeated, awestruck.

"Oi, Zoro, you play Sanji," Usopp said offhandedly.

"I'm playing that damn Love Cook?" Zoro growled, his eyes slanting dangerously.

"It was L-L-L-Luffy's idea!" Usopp stuttered, his legs shaking.

"Where is he? I'm going to slice him until he's within an inch of his life. You'd better take me to him, Usopp, or you're next!"

"O-oi! Calm down! You can talk to Luffy but he really thinks that this will help Magina remember. I do too! We all want to help. Magina and Zoro are nakama and we can't sail until she's back to normal."

Zoro sighed in disgust, "Well, whatever, but why can't I just be myself?"

"Luffy wanted to play you," Usopp shrugged.

"Tch." Zoro was angry for a second. "Fine, since we're trying to help Magina, I'll go along with it but if this doesn't work, I am personally cutting your head off and Luffy's too," he growled.

"Hah, hah, well there is no reason why it should fail since it's being written and directed by your own amazing playwright who has studied the art of productions for 50 years…Usopp-sama!"

"50 years! Amazing!" Chopper cried.

"Yes, and there is set building and costumes! We must find them all!"

"Find them all!" Chopper repeated, dancing with Usopp.

Zoro shook his head and didn't say anything. Well, maybe it could be fun. He was worrying too much about Magina anyway. He could always make fun of Sanji too. Zoro grinned at the thought.

. . . Two days later . . .

Magina fidgeted with boredom. Gash visited her a little each day but the Straw Hats were strangely absent. Magina knew that she should trust her nakama however something was wrong. Chopper came to check on her but he wouldn't answer any of her questions. Sanji stopped bringing her meals. The oddest thing was that Luffy never visited her. Not once.

Magina was worried. Were they angry at her because she couldn't remember him? His face, his name was on the tip of her tongue. They wouldn't avoid her because she forgot him. Would they?

"What are they doing?" Magina asked Kigen on the second day. He was nearly recovered.

"You'll find out soon, Magina. Come, I believe that they're ready," Kigen smiled at his apprehensive granddaughter.

He led her into an auditorium. The first thing that Magina noticed; the obnoxious curtain clashed with the room. It was fashioned out of several different blankets, poles and ropes. It was definitely something a child would put together or Luffy. Kigen took her to a chair and told her to wait. What was going on? Was this the reason why she hadn't seen her nakama lately? Usopp came out and walked to her seat.

"The audience is here. Good. I am Usopp-sama, the director and stage manager. I hope that you will enjoy this production. Here is a program for your convenience. Thank you." Then, he bowed and left.

A play? They were putting on a play? Magina was amused. This should be entertaining. Magina glanced at the program while waiting for the play to start.

Usopp-sama's Play of Magina and Zoro in 6 Acts

Cast:

Magina…Nami

Nami…..Nico Robin

Luffy…..Tony Tony Chopper

Zoro…Monkey D. Luffy

Sanji…Roronoa Zoro

Usopp…..Sanji

Robin…king's actress

Chopper…Usopp

Vivi…..Nico Robin

Hasan…..Gash/Usopp

Caran…..Kigen

Gash…as himself

Dalton….Usopp

Sudo…king's bodyguard

Special Effects…Nico Robin

Director/Stage Manager…..Usopp

ACT I: Magina's island

ACT II: Entering Grand Line

ACT III: Drum Island

ACT IV: Davy Back Fight

ACT V: SAILING

ACT VI: Song Island

ACT VII: Usopp-sama is the Best!

Lights came on and the curtain was pulled back.

_Magina ran onstage. A paper spear hurtled towards her. The paper spear hung in the air too long, so she had to run to catch it so that it appeared to hit her. At last, it hit and she fell. Moments later, a plank lowered and three people stepped off._

"_Oh, what a beautiful day," Luffy started out, woodenly and quietly._

"_Hey, Chopper. You've got to be louder, more excited," Zoro pouted._

"_OH, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY. I WONDER WHAT WE'LL FIND ON THIS ISLAND?" Luffy screamed while strolling over towards Magina. Magina grabbed Luffy's leg. _

In the audience, Magina fought back a giggle.

"_Oi! Hey! Let go! This is my leg!" Luffy yelled._

"_Oi, Luffy, why the noise? I'm a crappy Love-Cook and I need my concentration!" Sanji asked._

"_There's a hand!" Luffy exclaimed._

"_Sea…I must get to the sea…"Magina muttered._

"_Oi, Zoro, Sanji, look at this," Luffy said as he lifted Magina's arm and started playing with it. Sanji turned Magina over._

"_It's a girl! I must take her on board at once and ravage her with my monkey lips!" he said in surprise._

"_She's badly wounded," Zoro said, leaning over and poking Magina in the ribs. Magina started shaking and tried to get away from Zoro without moving. Zoro kept poking her in the ribs until she had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing._

"_She hasn't eaten in a while either. I must cook her my 6-course Menu of Love!" Sanji exclaimed._

_Sanji and Zoro turned to Luffy but he didn't say anything for a long time._

"_Bring her onboard!" someone whispered loudly from offstage._

"_Oh, right…Bring her onboard…Sanji, Zoro," Luffy said as he walked back onto the 'Going Merry'._

The curtain dropped and Magina could hear sets being moved around. She wondered who cast the roles. It was probably Luffy and the thought made Magina grin. Only he could come up with a cast list so insane. The curtain was raised again and she recognized the deck and rooms on the Going Merry.

_Magina lay on one of the beds. She tried sitting up but fell back on the bed groaning. The door opened and in stepped Zoro. "So, you're awake," he said in a low voice, folding his arms across his chest._

_Nobody moved as Magina continued to stare at Zoro and Zoro stared back._

"_Oi! Zoro, how is she?" Luffy asked as he barged in._

Magina sat straight up in her chair. Zoro? That name, and that outfit…the whole thing, as ridiculous as the play was, stirred up memories she thought she had forgotten.

_Luffy, Zoro and Nami took care of Magina._

Since she had been asleep and delirious during this part, Magina paid close attention. Certain things began to fall back into place in her head, like how Hasan was defeated. Without her memory of that one man, there was no clear solution. Magina had to admit that the special effects for that particular scene were amazing.

The crew defeated Hasan, with Kigen making a special cameo appearance as Caran-san. They entered the Grand Line and Sanji played the part of Usopp. Magina _did_ laugh when she saw that. Then, there was another scene change and she was back on Drum Island. Magina was starting to remember things faster now. Drum Island was another place she felt that her memory was incomplete and soon she understood why.

_Zoro and Magina were the only two aboard the Going Merry for a while__. Zoro almost knocked Magina off the ship but he managed to swing them back to safety. Once they left the ship, a mountain of snow came crashing down on to the stage, burying Magina and Zoro. Magina started digging Zoro out, not noticing how it was creating several long gashes up and down her arms. Zoro broke free just as Magina dropped, too exhausted to move._

"_Oi! Magina. Come on, wake up!" Zoro said, slapping her face gently._

"_Okay, Magina. We're going to make it to town. Just hold on a little longer," Zoro said when Magina didn't respond. He picked her up and carried her on his back._

The real Magina looked on in awe. She was either freezing to near death or unconscious so she didn't know that this was what happened. It wasn't until after the Drum Island Act that Magina truly remembered Zoro. Once she watched the fight, everything came rushing back. The tears welled up and spilled over.

"Thank you, everyone," she whispered as she waited for the end.

. . .

Zoro growled faintly underneath his breath. This play was a disaster. It was true that everyone on the crew worked really hard but there was always something. Even with three ordinary sticks; Luffy almost destroyed the set once or twice. Chopper kept forgetting his lines or saying them wrong so Luffy and Usopp were coaching him during the scenes. Sanji was pouting about having the role of Usopp and he refused to take out his cigarette. His fake nose kept catching on fire and causing a commotion. Nami did a good job at playing Magina except she flirted too much. Robin was busy keeping order and pretending to stretch for Chopper so that it looked like he was really Luffy.

Zoro smirked just a little. Love Cook was also sulking because he was being made fun of. If anything, that was what Zoro enjoyed the most. The lights were so damn hot and they made him sleepy. He felt naked without his katana and fighting with his feet was so troublesome. Zoro hoped this would jog Magina's memory of him. He had no desire of trying another foolish idea like this one.

At least they were near the end. It was during the last battle scene right now. Luffy swung his 'katana' wildly at 'Sudo'. The bodyguard spent most of his time avoiding the sticks rather than trying to fight Luffy. Zoro didn't blame the man. Luffy prepared to strike the final blow. Zoro groaned when he realized that Luffy diverged from the original script. Instead of just hitting Sudo with a single strike, he attempted to spin like a tornado. Usopp wrote the fight scene very simple because Luffy had a tendency to destroy everything in his path. Luffy argued since he insisted that it needed to 'look cool'. Usopp desperately tried to get Luffy's attention and stop him but it was too late. He overshot the actor and started flying in the air.

"GOMU GOMU NO…"

"Luffy! Don't grab the…"

"POLE SNATCH!"

The curtain poles snapped in half. Luffy was trapped in the mismatched blankets. He struggled to get himself out but that only tangled him more. He pulled and clawed his way out while his crew rushed over to lend Luffy a hand. Zoro ripped some of the fabric away when he heard the set creak alarmingly. He glanced up and growled. The wooden set tilted and swayed, finally collapsing with a resounding _Crash_!The Straw Hats were buried underneath the ruins of the sets and stage. Zoro climbed out of the large pile of broken wood. He was surprised that the stage lasted as long as it did. He brushed the dust and debris off his costume when Magina ran up to him. He frowned. She shouldn't be running yet.

"Are you alright?" she asked anxiously.

"I'm fine, though I can't wait to get out of this ridiculous outfit and this wig. It's itchy," Zoro said, trying to ease her concern.

Magina sighed in exasperation. "Look, Zoro. I know you're a tough guy but your head is bleeding. You should let Chopper…"

Zoro's face froze in utter shock. He waited almost a week to hear her say his name.

"Stop, say it again," he ordered. He needed to hear it once more, just to reassure himself.

"What? Okay, I know you're a tough guy…" Magina tried again before Zoro cut her off a second time.

"No, not that. Say my name again," Zoro said shaking his head.

He would not budge on this, he had to hear her say his name. Magina looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

She smiled at him and obligingly whispered, "Zoro."

Zoro smiled in relief. It faded a little when she began to fall. He picked her up and carried her back to the chair.

"You shouldn't do such stupid things. You're still recovering. Don't over do it," Zoro said sternly.

"You get to lecture me but I'm not allowed to do the same? Go get Chopper to look at your head! There are definitely some screws loose!" Magina argued back.

She hadn't stopped crying yet, but Zoro knew that she was happy. He could hear her laughter bubbling up from within her.

"Oi, marimo! First, you do a real shitty impression of me and then you make Magina-san cry! That's unforgivable!" Sanji shouted from the wreckage.

"I'm not crying, really. I'm very happy. My nakama came up with this just to help me remember…it's amazing. Thank you everyone!" Magina said, trying to wipe the tears from her eyes.

Luffy grinned, "It was fun, but I'm hungry!" he rubbed his stomach.

. . .

Magina slumped wearily against the chair. She felt completely drained- emotionally, physically. She groaned when her stomach growled at the mention of food. Would there ever come a time when she wasn't hungry?

"I'm hungry too," Magina said in explanation to the look Zoro gave her. He grinned and her heart skipped a beat. He suddenly flung her over his uninjured shoulder.

"Oi! Shitty marimo! What are you doing to Magina-san?" Sanji said, ripping off the fake nose and the curly wig. Zoro just grunted like what he did was perfectly normal.

"You have a problem, you crappy Love Cook? I'm a pirate. This is what pirates do. Do you need me to explain it to you?"

"It's true," Luffy said, scratching his head thoughtfully.

"Don't agree with him! Baka!" Sanji yelled, kicking Luffy in the head.

Magina giggled.

"Oh, Sanji-kun?" Nami asked sweetly, giving Magina a secret wink.

"Aye, Nami-swan?" Sanji turned suddenly with hearts in his eyes.

"Robin and I are hungry too. Can you cook us something?" Nami asked with a sly smile.

"Cook me some meat, Sanji!" Luffy shouted grinning.

"Aye! Nami-swan and Robin-chwan!" Sanji replied. Turning to Luffy, he said, "You get nothing!"

"Why not?" Luffy pouted.

"Because you agreed with that shitty broccoli head marimo about taking Magina-san," Sanji replied.

"But Sanji, it's true. Pirates are supposed to take what they want. They also have to sing and like to eat meat. I want to eat meat," Luffy said, a thin trail of drool dripping from his mouth.

"Sanji, please don't stop feeding them," Magina said, smothering her laughter. "I'm happy and you can be the first in line to kick Zoro's ass if he makes me unhappy."

"Hey, treasure should be quiet when being carried off," Zoro growled at her.

"It would be my pleasure, Magina-san. Let me know the instant the opportunity arrives," Sanji replied, rubbing his hands in anticipation.

"Oi! Chopper, Usopp! We're getting food, c'mon!" Luffy shouted back at the wrecked stage.

"AYE!" they called and hurried after them.

"You hear that, shitty marimo? You make Magina-san even the slightest bit unhappy and I'll kick your ass!" Sanji pulled out another cigarette and lit it.

"You just try it, Love Cook. Besides, she won't be unhappy with me. If it was you and your monkey lips on the other hand…" Zoro trailed off.

"What the hell are you implying?" Sanji said angrily.

Zoro laughed and Magina covered her mouth. Poor Sanji. If she laughed now, he'd be heartbroken. Luffy dragged Sanji away, begging for meat. Sanji conceded and let himself be pulled along with the rest of the crew. Zoro was left in one of the hallways with Magina still slung across his shoulder.

"Zoro, let me down," Magina giggled.

A moment later she was set gently on her feet.

"Don't ever forget me again," Zoro said sternly.

"Never again," she murmured before kissing him fiercely.

Zoro held her tighter and kissed her back hungrily. Magina sighed in contentment. Their kiss ended when both of their stomachs growled. Laughing, they went to find the kitchen and the rest of their nakama.

. .

Kigen and Gash watched the Straw Hat crew head off to fix themselves some food. Now that Magina's memory returned, the pirate crew would probably leave tomorrow.

"You didn't tell them about becoming King?" Kigen asked, looking at the man who used to be one of his song soldiers.

Gash shook his head. "They were too worried about Magina to really care about anything else. I didn't tell them about the Guardian either."

"Hmm, yes. Explaining _that_ to my granddaughter might prove interesting. The Guardian disappeared, correct?" Kigen asked.

"Yes. Sudo was the one who made the Guardian stay to 'protect' the island from human influence. Though after spending some time with that pirate crew, I believe that being influenced by humans wouldn't be such a bad thing. Magina certainly turned out alright," Gash answered.

"Yes, she did," Kigen smiled proudly.

Kigen and Gash went to join the pirates for one last meal. Laughter echoed in the hallway as they entered the kitchen.

"Oi, Usopp. Build a separate room for us," Zoro demanded suddenly.

"Where am I going to put another room on Merry? Besides, I'm not a shipwright. I can't do anything about it," Usopp replied with a shrug.

"Come on, Usopp. You're a master at repairing Merry. An extra bedroom isn't much different," Zoro coaxed.

"Usopp," Sanji growled, "If you even _think_ about building them a separate room, I'll cook you mushrooms for every meal."

Usopp shuddered at the mention of mushrooms. Nami and Robin giggled.

"I don't know why you're so upset, Sanji. They're probably only going to train anyway," Luffy said perplexed.

Robin and Nami laughed harder. Sanji was about to kick his captain's head in when Robin turned to Nami with a conspiratorial wink.

"I'm not sure what we'd do without you in the room, Miss Siren. Who could we find that would listen to us at the end of the day?" Robin asked, keeping an eye on Sanji's reaction.

"Magina-san…moving out means…there's an extra hammock in the ladies' room," Sanji muttered thoughtfully for just a moment. "That means…Nami-swan! Robin-chwan! Don't despair! I'll keep you company at night instead of Magina-san!" he rushed over with his arms outstretched.

"Down, Sanji-kun. I guess that means that you're okay with Zoro and Magina having their own room after all," Nami grinned at Magina.

"So, Usopp; here's what I was thinking…"Zoro said, bringing out a piece of paper.

Sanji's face flushed in anger again. He stalked over to Zoro's table and started picking a fight with him. Magina laughed. Everything was finally back to normal.

The End.

_That's it. I can't believe we reached the end. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It's one of my favorites. The play idea was just too good to pass up. Lol. Since this is the end, I get to express my grateful feelings to everyone who has followed me from the beginning until now. Thank you very much. Thank you to all of the new readers too! I also want to thank anyone who reviewed and added this story to their favorites. Also I want to thank my sisters for their help with editing this chapter. Review again or for the first time if you wish, I love reading them. I don't want to get anyone's hopes up yet but there is a rough plan in the works for a sequel of this story. I can't promise anything but I've been working on it ever since I've had the idea. Hopefully, this means that you'll see me again sometime soon. If not soon, then I wish everyone good luck with their own writing endeavors. Later!_


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